FORKS
by ANNEMARIECULLEN
Summary: Twilight version of Titanic! R&R!
1. Prologue

**A/N:** I'm sorry I was so quick to finish my other stories, but I wanted to make room for this one! I had a weird dream. Edward was Jack, and Bella was Rose, but my dream had so many differences. (You'll see.) I had a 'Stephanie Meyer' so I would love to write it down. I hope you all enjoy the future writing of this story. I know I will. BUT if you _don't_ like it tell me in the reviews, and I wont continue it. It's in the hands of you guys.

* * *

**F O R K S**

_The ship of dreams._

**When you can live forever,**

**what do you live for?**

_Prologue._

_"Don't do it." I called out to her. Poor distressed rich woman. Her breathing was heavily, she was panting heavily. Her clothes stated her class as well. Rich, wealthy. A pair of red heels, and a stunning black and red dress. Her beautiful full; thick mahogany hair hung in loose curls over her shoulder, some crawling down her back. She was lovely.  
_

_"Stay back! Don't come any closer!" She called over her shoulder, gripping tightly onto the pole, while her other hand held the ledge's bars. _

_I took a cautious step forward, offering her my hand. "Come on, just give me your hand. I'll pull you back over."_

_"No, stay where you are! I mean it! I'll let go!" She turned away from me and faced the water, panting._

_I approached slowly, gesturing to my cigarette, showing that I was just approaching to merely throw it over the side into the ocean. "No, you won't." I shrugged, digging my hands into my front pockets.  
_

_"What do you mean, "No, I won't"? Don't presume to tell me what I will and will not do, you don't know me!" She hissed._

_"Well, you woulda done it already." I shrugged, rocking on my heels.  
_

_"You're distracting me! Go away!" She hissed over her shoulder._

_"I can't. I'm involved now. You let go, and I'm, I'm 'onna have to jump in there after you." I sighed, hopefully a little reverse phycology would help.. I began untieing my boots, kicking them off to the side, throwing my overcoat off afterwords._

_"Don't be absurd. You'd be killed!" She scolded, over her shoulder.  
_

_"I'm a good swimmer." I shrugged, taking off my cardigan, throwing it off to the side beside my shoes.  
_

_"The fall alone would kill you." She added hesitantly.  
_

_"It would hurt. I'm not saying it wouldn't. Tell you the truth, I'm a lot more concerned about that water being so cold." I added, it was working. The hesitance in her face was becoming more and more visible. She would never jump.. she couldnt, she wouldnt. I wouldn't let her.  
_

_She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Nothing but the white, cold, crisp air. She looked down at the water, and literally shivered._

_"How cold?" She asked. Bingo, it was working. I just needed to get her off the damn rail.  
_

_"Freezing. Maybe a couple degrees over. You ever, uh, you ever been to Wisconsin?" I shrugged. I tried to lighten the conversation.  
_

_"What?" She asked almost horrified. Guess it wasn't working.  
_

_"Well, they have some of the coldest winters around. I grew up there, near Chippewa Falls. I remember when I was a kid, me and my father, we went ice fishing out on Lake Wissota. Ice fishing is, you know, where you..." She cut me off.  
_

_"I know what ice fishing is!" She hissed.  
_

_"Sorry. You just seem like, you know, kind of an indoor girl. Anyway, I, uh, I fell through some thin ice; and I'm telling you, water that cold, like right down there..." I took a few slow, cautious steps towards her and nodded toward the freezing, Atlantic water. " ... it hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your body. You can't breathe. You can't think. At least, not about anything but the pain. Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in there after you." _

_She threw me a frantic glance, her breathing picking up._

_"Like I said, I don't have a choice. I guess I'm kinda hoping you'll come back over the railing, an' get me off the hook here." I smiled at her.  
_

_"You're crazy." She mumbled.  
_

_"That's what everybody says but, with all due respect, Miss, I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship here. Come on. C'mon, give me your hand. You don't want to do this." I offered her my hand, and she slowly reached forward, taking her hand in mine. I tightened my grip on her hand. So soft.._

_"Whew! I'm Edward Masen." I smiled, as I had her facing me, and the deck.  
_

_She smiled at me. "Isabella-Marie-Swan." She panted out all too quickly for me to comprehend. Isabella wha?  
_

_"I'm gonna have to get you to write that one down."__  
_

My eyes opened. And I woke up alone. As usual. I wanted to smile, but my lips held a permanent frown, wrinkles even. All my dreams of _her_ were always left unfinished, or always interrupted, like now. Sometimes in the night, I could have sworn I had my arms wrapped around her, or her head lying on my chest. Sometimes it was like I could smell her. Her beautiful scent of strawberry, or freesia, which was absolutely intoxicating.

But she was gone, and so was I.

I lived alone, all my life. I gave her my heart, and she still had mine; what was left of it at least. I had little friends, and no family. My parents died when I was seventeen, leaving me to fend for myself, which I've always had. I always missed my parents, and I always loved them. I always will.

But all I could think about, all my life, all my years, was her. My guilt, my anger, my remorse.

Chicago. My home. Pictures. They hung throughout the small home, just outside the city. Peace, and quiet. Just like me. They hung framed, or stood on tables. Black and white. Sepia. Various stains, and frames. Moments captured in my long life. Long, and lonely. Some beautiful, some extraordinary. Some I smiled, some I laughed, and some I just looked;

_Miserable._

I moved out of bed, like I did everyday. I put on my robe, warming myself away from the cold breeze of Chicago that occasionally drifted through my home.

My bare feet smacked against the wooden floor, as I walked into my favorite room, taking a seat down on the wooden bench.

I sat in the music room, _my_ room; as I referred to it as. My grand piano sat in the middle, the main focus of the small room. Compositions lay neatly organized on my desk. Some framed on the wall, some stacked in a corner off to the side. Some left blank. Some left crumbled, and unfinished.

James, my 'assistant' was preparing breakfast just down the hall. The smell of fresh waffles occupied my home. The echo of a distant television rang through my ears.

My fingers grazed the all too familiar piano keys. Slowly tapping, letting the sweet sound occupy my interests. The way my fingers danced along the keys always soothed me. Nights I couldn't sleep, days I felt like I couldn't breathe, days I felt trapped. Days I wanted to die.

I let my fingers dance randomly; not planning the next note, or the next chorus. Like my fingers had a mind of their own, as well as their arthritis. It's been far too long. The pain suddenly shot through my fingers, causing my wrist to drop onto the keys, slurring the notes.

My instincts took over then, what was left little of them. The man I once was, died many years ago. Many, many, years ago. I rubbed my cold fingers against the shotting pain of my left hand; massaging. The television volume sunk in then, my attention given one hundred percent towards the anchor woman's voice.

"Treasure hunter Carlisle Cullen is best known for finding Spanish gold in sunken galleons in the Caribbean. Now he is using deep submergence technology to work two and a half miles down at another famous wreck... the Forks. He is with us live via satellite from a Russian research ship in the middle of the Atlantic... hello Carlisle?"

Forks. That was all I needed to hear. I ignored the pain in my fingers, I felt a new sense of pain. I stood up slowly, pushing the bench chair behind me. My attention was now occupied. I walked across the room, making a slow left, the CNN anchor woman's voice, grew louder. An interview?

"Yes, hi, Heidi. You know, Forks is not just A shipwreck, Forks is THE shipwreck. It's the Mount Everest of shipwrecks." The television came into view; as well as James setting the table fore breakfast. I ignored his polite smile, and made my way over towards the small television, which sat on the counter. A man came into view, young. Possibly in his late twenties, early thirties. His hair was blonde, his skin pale, and his eyes a pleasant brown. Handsome man, he reminded me of someone I was knew, once was.

"I've planned this expedition for three years, and we're out here recovering some amazing things... things that will have enormous historical and educational value." The man, Carlisle Cullen; the bottom of the screen stated in bold white letters, said.

The screen split in two, showing a young woman, with dirty blonde hair. Heidi Voulturi, the bottom of the screen read.

"But it's no secret that education is not your main purpose. You're a treasure hunter. So what is the treasure you're hunting?" She asked skeptically.

"I'd rather show you than tell you, and we think we're very close to doing just that." Carlisle nodded.

I looked back at James, who was walking about the kitchen, gathering various plates, and utensils. My breakfast laid on the kitchen table adjacent towards the television screen. Without taking my eyes off the screen I slowly backed towards the awaiting chair, and took my seat.

James came into view, setting down the plates, and my breakfast before me. "Turn it up." I mumbled hoarsely. He nodded setting down the last of the items he carried before he walked beside the small screen, and turned the dial.

"Your expedition is at the center of a storm of controversy over salvage rights and even ethics. Many are calling you a grave robber." Heidi argued.

James took a seat across from me, pouring orange juice into my empty glass. My eyes stayed glued on the screen of the two blondes having and giving an interview.

"Nobody called the recovery of the artifacts from King Tut's tomb grave robbing. I have museum-trained experts here, making sure this stuff is preserved and cataloged properly. Look at this drawing, which was found today..."

The screen then dropped to his hands, which held a very old, rustic piece of paper. The image of a woman came into view, wearing nothing but a heart shaped necklace which laid in the valley of her chest.

"...a piece of paper that's been underwater for 84 years... and my team are able to preserve it intact. Should this have remained unseen at the bottom of the ocean for eternity, when we can see it and enjoy it now...?" Carlisle added, with some enthusiasm in his voice. What a young spirit..

My eyes stayed glued on the drawling. There was no telling I knew _exactly_ who, and what it was. It was _her_.

So many thoughts, and images flashed through my mind, all incoherent, and un-readable. So blurry, yet so clear. So old, yet so young. My throat burned, and my heart ached, and my fingers were numb. So many words, sounds, I could have made. Yet my voice stayed steady, my face composed. "I'll be God damned."

"What is it, Mr. Masen?" James voice interrupted my thoughts. "Dial that number on the bottom of the screen." I spoke. I pushed my breakfast aside. "Sir?" He asked, his gaze shot towards the cordless phone, debating. "Just dial the number James." I spoke harshly. He nodded, and took a sip of his juice, before jumping up and followed my request.

I watched quietly; his fingers dancing along the phones buttons. The _beep beep_ sound each press, each movement made. He looked at me, and silently passed the phone to me. "Hello?" A young woman's voice cooed into my ears. "Can I help you?" I could hear the smile in her voice, and the envy that growled in my chest. "Yes you can." I shooed James away with my hand, and he nodded, walking off into the living room. "The diamond." I croaked. "The heart of the sea." I felt my lungs contracting. The numbness taking over me. "Have you found it." It was more of a demand than a question.

I heard a gasp on the other end of the line, and the sound of crumbling. "Just a minute sir! Let me get Cullen for you!" I nodded, as if she could have saw me. I heard muffled voices on the other end. "There's a satellite call for you." I heard the same voice I once spoke to. "Alice, we're launching. See these submersibles here, going in the water? Take a message." Ah Alice, it suited her perkiness well. "No, trust me, you want to take this call." Alice said sternly.

My fingers danced impatiently on the old wooden table, the steam of my waffle slowly subsided. My breakfast was getting cold.

Again, I heard rustling on the other end of the line. I also heard another round of voices, and muted shh's. Then I heard just one voice. "This is Carlisle Cullen. What can I do for you, Mr... ?" I cleared my throat, it was burning. "Edward. Edward Masen." The voice grew louder, more clearer. "Mr. Masen?" He had a bit of impatience in his voice, the investigation must've occupied all of it for the moment. "Did you find the "Heart of the Ocean" yet, Mr. Cullen?" I felt like I was growing short with air. The numbness pressing down on me, on my heart.

Was I dying?

"I told you you wanted to take this call." Alice laughed on the other end. "Alright. You have my attention, Edward. Can you tell me who the woman in the picture is?" Carlisle asked. "My wife." I spoke softly. "The woman in the picture; is my wife."

No, I wasn't dying. Not yet.

_End Prologue._


	2. Journey Back In Time

**A/N:** I'm sorry I was so quick to finish my other stories, but I wanted to make room for this one! I had a weird dream. Edward was Jack, and Bella was Rose, but my dream had so many differences. (You'll see.) I had a 'Stephanie Meyer' so I would love to write it down. I hope you all enjoy the future writing of this story. I know I will. BUT if you _don't_ like it tell me in the reviews, and I wont continue it. It's in the hands of you guys.

* * *

**F O R K S**

_The ship of dreams._

**When you can live forever,**

**what do you live for?**

_Journey Back In Time_.

As soon as I hung up the phone with Carlisle Cullen, I heard trembling footsteps heading my way. "What's going on?" James reemerged into the room. "We're going to go see Forks." I sat up slowly. I had things to pack, and a trip to get ready for. "We're going to Washington?" He chuckled, helping me out of my seat. "No." I hissed. "I have no business there." I snarled. "We're going to the ship-" James cut me off. "Mr. Masen.. your in no condition to travel.." He trailed off. "Don't you lecture me of my condition. I'm healthy as a horse." I snapped. I was through with hearing about my 'condition.' What condition? Being a man my age was no type of _condition_. "Now help me pack. A taxi is coming to pick us up in an hour." I said, walking down the hall, back towards my bedroom.

I could hear his frantic footsteps behind me. "Sir, are you sure?" He asked. I entered my room, and turned back, smiling at him. Such a young nice boy. About mid twenties, blonde hair, in which he wore in a pony tail, and a body I once had. I was absolutely sure he's broken a few hearts.. "Of course I'm sure!" I gestured with my hands. "I need to go, help me pack." I said. "Alright." He sighed. "I'm coming with you." He said, I huffed. "Of course you are."

"Here," He took my arm, and lead me over towards my sitting hair. "sit down, and tell me what you want me to pack." As I took my seat, he darted towards my closet. "Ah- yes, that one." I pointed towards the coat, he nodded and tossed it on the bed. "You'll need a few pairs of pants and shirts- ah ah, _don't _argue with me Sir." He pointed at me. "Don't point your finger at me James, I'm no child." I sighed. "No shit." He chuckled. "You just sit there, and be a grouch, your wasting our time." He scolded as he took a seat on my bed and began folding my clothing.

My eyes widened, I suppose he picked up such a tone from me. After all, hes been 'taking care of me' for about five years now. And to be honest, I trusted him with my life; but there was no need to tell him that. There was no need for him to take advantage of such power. I've learned over the years that not all men, could be trusted. Not _that_ much. Sadly, I've learned the hard way.

Although, I haven told him my story, _all_ of it at least. I summed it down for him.

_"What exactly happened?" He asked in a sincere voice. James sat across from me, in the dining room, his hands folded on the table. His dinner sat in front of him, steaming, even though it was pushed aside, ignored for the moment. His gaze melted in mine, as if he were able to see right through me. "Tell me.." He urged, he almost demanded. His hand went to reach across the table to comfort my trembling hands; but he caught himself and drifted back, with a heavily sigh, his back resting against the back of his chair. _

_I wanted to say something rude, I wanted to be defensive, I wanted to scold him for mentioning such things, but I couldn't say anything. He had me cornered, and he knew it. I sighed heavily. "I lost my wife." I nearly whispered. "Wife?" He asked, his eyes widened, guess I had him cornered too with that one. "Tell me everything." He said. "No." I said flatly. "That's all you need to know.." I shoved a piece of steak into my mouth; leaving no room for further discussion._

I watched for about an hour as James went throughout the house locking up, and carrying two bags of luggage. One was his, and one was mine; to the front door. "Thanks son." I mumbled. "Anytime, Sir.- Oh the rides here." He opened the front door, carrying the luggage out. I followed and lingered in the doorway, a slick, black limousine waited outside for us. "Did you arrange this?" James asked as he approached me, closing the door behind me, he guided me down carefully my front porch. "Of course not." I snarled. "Whatever you say." He chuckled.

The car ride was quiet, at least to me. My once bright, and alive eyes stared out the tinted window, dark and dead; into the Chicago city, which was growing smaller and smaller as I rode away into the opposite direction.

Who knows when I'd see it again.

I stared at the buildings, the busy streets, trying to memorize everything. From the colors, to the shapes, to the people walking quickly amongst the street. They had places to go, places to be, and people to see. I envied all of them. This is where I grew up. This was my _home._ And now, I was leaving it behind. I watched familiar buildings, and streets dash by in a blink of an eye. From the high school I once attended, to the movie theater I used to sneak into, to see rated R movies; to the local drug store where I bought my cigarettes for cheap.

I said my goodbyes, towards whatever I was leaving behind, (Which at the moment, seemed like nothing.) and turned my torso back towards James. "Are you nervous?" James asked quietly. "No." I said, James shook his head, and turned to gaze out the window. "This is a big thing.. what your doing." He sighed. "I don't think I'd have the heart to do it all over again." He said. "What are you saying boy? Spit it out." I hissed. "I'm proud of you, that's all." He shrugged, keeping his eyes focused along the views outside the tinted window.

_James just said something, nice. Say something back.._ My conscience was telling me. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I felt the pressure beating down against my lungs.

I sat quiet throughout the ride.

"Your ready?" James asked, holding our air plane tickets. We sat outside our gate, awaiting our flight to be called. "Yes, I'm ready." I nodded. "We can always go back.." He shrugged, and I shook my head furiously. "No dammit, I'm here, we're here; stop bugging me about this dammit, we're going." I hissed, and turned to face him. "Unless _you_ don't want to go." I growled. James eyes widened and he smiled. Over the years, my temper, has grown on him. I've come to realize that he obtains more and more patience for me everyday. I hadn't acknowledged him enough for it though.. "Just double checking." He shrugged.

_"Woman and children only!!" He called. The screams of furious men, and the cries of woman and children echoed throughout my ears. I almost covered them, trying to mute the horror, the catastrophe that was going on around me. This couldn't have been real. This couldn't have been happening. This was the un-sinkable Forks.. _

"Sir.." I felt someone shaking my shoulder, and I snapped out of my stareless-nightmare, turning back to face James. "Are you alright?" He asked, I nodded. "Wont be too long now." He tapped my knee. "They'll call our flight soon." He smiled.

When our flight was called I walked beside James, walking through the little passage way, connecting the flight to the airport. I forgot what they were called, and I didn't feel like asking James. Left it a mystery, I didn't care. "Private jet?" I stated, and James nodded. "As always sir." I nodded my head approvingly, allowing him to take the lead to finding out seats. "Window, as always." James gestured me inside the seat, and I took it gladly. "Good." I nodded again. He took a seat beside me. "This will take us halfway, and from there we take a helicopter, or so the driver told me." He shrugged. "Okay then." I said. James put on some headphones, and listened to music, allowing me to be at peace with my thoughts.

My eyes stayed fixed on the grey cloudy sky that rested just outside my little window. I haven't been on a plane since- I don't even remember. The only things I recognized new where the little television screens in the backs of the chairs, the fancy buttons at the top of my section, and the extra leg room. Other than that, nothings changed, that goes without saying; Me.

I sighed, and drew my attention back outside the window, the little city below becoming a distant blur. Goodbye Chicago, whatever I was saying goodbye to, perhaps the wind? Whatever I had, whatever I saw, I'd never see again. I wouldn't miss it, and it wouldn't miss me.

Maybe I'd be lucky.. maybe I'll never see it again..

I fought the sleepiness of my eyes, just wanting to gaze out the window just a little bit longer. I wanted to see the city disapear, but I didn't make it..

_I stood, my arm behind my back. Dressed in another mans clothes, wearing another mans hairstyle. All belonged to someone else, excusing my name. An sorry defense. I didn't belong here, this place wasn't for me. She was too good for me. My fingers danced nervously, clenching and unclenching my fists, trying to pump blood into my veins. My heart was pumping violently in my chest, as if it was going to thump out, and fall onto the lithium floor before me._

_The very moment I wanted to make a run for it, she appeared at the foot of the stairs. Her body hugged a sapphire blue gown, my favorite color. My breath instantly caught at the sight. Her hair hung in a elegant bun, some curls dropped out lazily here and there. Her eyes were big, and brown, widening at the sight of me, following a beautiful breath-taking smile. _

_She tripped on the last step into my arms, and blushed the most beautiful shade of red. "Oh-" She crashed against me, I caught her, and steadied her slowly, loving the warmth of her body pressed against mine, and the feeling of my arms wrapped around her; tightly. "I'm so sorry- I'm such a klutz." She blushed, chuckling nervously. I smiled at her, and stroke her cheek with my fingers. "I'll keep you balanced.."_

Her voice faded into James. "Wake up." He smiled. "It's time to get on the helicopter.." He patted my shoulder, before standing up.

Within the next twenty minutes, I was strapped, and harnessed into the flying machine. I wore a helmet, with attached ear muffs, with a strange microphone. It was well into the remaining few minutes of the ride when James spoke.

"Sir?.." James spoke over the loudness of the helicopter. We were _finally_ landing. I looked at him, blankly. "Why are you doing this?" He spoke quietly, I almost didn't hear him. My thoughts were else where.

_"Oh Edward!" She giggled. Her laughter echoed through my ears, my arms wrapped around her, assaulting her neck with kisses. "Edward! Stop it!" She smiled, wrapping her arms around my neck. I pulled away from her neck, and kissed her passionately. "I'm sorry sweetheart, I cant help it.." I shrugged. Her eyes rolled. "Oh Edward.. you are so biased.."  
_

I literally shook my head, shaking the images away, her sweet voice. I turned to face a very worry-faced James. "What?" I snarled. James shrugged, and sank back into his seat, looking out the window. "Nothing sir, I just don't want all this to overwhelm you." He spoke. I shrugged. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine." I snapped.

I looked out the window, avoiding any further discussion, I was in no mood to talk. This trip wasn't exciting. I just wanted that picture.. I just wanted it back in my possession. I just wanted to go home. I wanted to be alone.

I smiled down, her sweet humming tuning in my ears. The dark, sapphire blue water hung below into view. _She_ was the heart of the ocean. The heart of _my_ ocean.

I spotted a cargo ship not too long after. Large, white. As we lowered onto the platform I noticed three shaped figures. The blonde man, which I immediately assumed as Carlisle Cullen, the other I knew had to be Alice, and there was another man, I didn't know him.

"Come on sir, lets get you off this thing." James smiled, opening the helicopters large doors, gesturing me to take the first step out; I did. I gush of wind hit me, constricting my lungs. Carlisle, and Alice guided my down, smiling at me, but I didn't return it.

As they were gesturing me towards the cabin of the ship, I noticed my luggage being lifted off the helicopter. I didn't have much. What could I possibly need? Five pairs of pants, five pairs of shirts.. But James insisted I'd back for two weeks, considering we didn't know how long this would take. Although I argued we'd be 'in and out' but of course a man my age could only say and argue so much. My energy, and heart couldn't take it anymore.

"Hello Mr. Masen." The young girl smiled at me, guiding me into a cabin room. "Who are you." I wasn't known for asking questions. I wasn't known for being nice either. I wasn't known for good first impressions. I wasn't known for much, but for being an old, rude, bastard. "Alice Brandon. We spoke on the phone." She smiled, un-effected by my arrogance. I liked her.

I smiled at her, but it didn't reach my ears; as always. She linked her arm with mine, and lead me through the small halls, guiding me into a fairly large sized room.

A few moments later my two bags of luggage were being set on the floor, as I sat on the bed beside Alice. "Let me get you settled." Alice dropped to her knees, and began unzipping my luggage. "Don't stress yourself, Al'." I said. "I don't want you going through all this trouble." She ignored me. "Okay." I shrugged. "Do what you want." I sighed. She smiled up at me, and passed me the frame photo's I packed. The ones that mattered most.

The ones that would get me through this trip.

After I aligned my frames, I noticed, Carlisle, and the man stand in the doorway. "Is your stateroom alright?" Carlisle asked me. I shrugged. "Yes. Very nice. Have you met my.." I hated using the word nurse. It made me feel, old. "Have you met James?"

"Yes. We met just a few minutes ago, Edward. Remember, up on deck?" The other man spoke, the anonymous one. "Who are you?" I hissed. He took a step forward and offered me his hand. "Mike Newton, pleasure to meet you sir." I looked down at his hand, and mumbled. He took his hand back and coughed.

Mike rolled his eyes, but I didn't care. Young, and stupid.

I glanced at the old photo's, and noticed that Carlisle's gaze also traveled among them, slightly smiling. "There." I stroked the picture of my mother and I, back when I was seventeen. "I have to have my pictures when I travel. Isn't that right, James?" I looked at him, and he nodded, standing in the doorway. "Yes sir."

Carlisle chuckled. "Would you like anything?" He asked me, I didn't need to think twice. "Show me the drawling." They all looked at me, like _I_ was crazy. "Show me the damn picture." I scolded. James sighed, and Carlisle nodded. "Right this way, Mr. Masen." He gestured out towards the door, and Mike lead the way down the hall.

James followed behind, along with Carlisle, as I was being lead into a whole other room. Strange, and even larger than my bedroom. "Right this way, sir." Carlisle walked ahead of me, stopping at some sort of tank, full of water. He smiled at me, and nodded for me to continue. I took a few hesitant steps forward, gazing down at the floating piece of paper.

I looked at the drawling, the drawling my fingers, my hands, my crayons once drew. It felt strange. The feeling I was having, I couldn't describe it. Eighty-four years. The drawling was eighty-four years old, and was only able to be preserved underwater, until a new method was discovered.

_"I believe you are blushing, Mr. Masen." She cooed._

My eyes closed, smiling; remembering.

"Sir?" My eyes opened, and darted down to Carlisle's hand, a photo of a necklace.. "Louis the Sixteenth wore a fabulous stone, called the Blue Diamond of the Crown, which disappeared in 1792, about the time Louis lost everything from the neck up. The theory goes that the crown diamond was chopped too... re-cut into a heart-like shape... and it became Le Coeur de la Mer. The Heart of the Ocean. Today it would be worth more than the Hope Diamond."

I chuckled, but it didn't come from the heart. "She hated it, it was too heavy." I pointed to the heart shaped sketch. "She only wore it once." I added.

Mike came to stand beside me gazing down at the photograph. I almost didn't like it.. this was drawn by a man who only wanted it for his wife's, and his eyes.. Now this piece of work was considered a form of history, well I'll be damned. "You actually believe this is your wife, Mr. Masen?" He asked. I turned to face him. "I know what my wife looks like, and I know what I drew." I hissed.

Carlisle ignored our exchange of glares. "I tracked it down through insurance records... and old claim that was settled under terms of absolute secrecy. Do you know who the claimant was, Black?" He asked. I nearly growled at the memory. "Jacob Black." I spat out. I couldn't forget him.. no matter how much I really wanted to.

Carlisle smiled. "Jacob Black, right. Pittsburgh steel tycoon. For a diamond necklace his son Billy Black bought in France for his girlfriend... your wife... a week before he sailed on Forks. And the claim was filed right after the sinking. So the diamond had to've gone down with the ship."

Carlisle turned to face Alice. "See the date?" He asked. "April 14, 1912." She chirped. Carlisle then turned to James. "If he is, who he says he is, he should have had the diamond in his possession when the ship went down." He glanced back at me, and continued. "And that makes you my new best friend. I will happily compensate you for anything you can tell us that will lead to its recovery."

My eyebrows furrowed. _Money._ Must everything be about money? The object, the word, the concept, angered me; no infuriated me. "I don't want your money, Mr. Cullen. I know how hard it is for people who care greatly for money to give some away." I said.

Mikes eyebrows instantly rose. "You don't want anything?" He asked. I nodded back down towards the floating drawling. "You may give me this, if anything I tell you is of value." I said. Carlisle nodded. "Deal." He crossed the room. "Over here are a few things we've recovered from your staterooms."

I followed best I could, following the gesturing cue of a smiling Alice. I took a seat, shrinking into my chair. I was barely able to see over the table top. Was this all real? Was I really touching items, that have spend decades under the Atlantic? Apparently so. My hand trembled as I stroked the stop watch I once occupied. I took it in my palm, and gazed upon it. _Amazing._

"This was mine. How extraordinary! It looks exactly the same.." I opened it, and gazed at the faded numbers, and crusty arrows. "Times changed.." I mumbled, setting the watch back down onto the table. I then noticed my comb, which was given to my by my father. I picked it up, and examined its teeth. I smiled, and stroked the teeth with my fingers, before setting it back down on the table.

_"Edward! What did I tell you about these knots!" Elizabeth, my mother scolded me. She sat me down on the living room chair, and began running the comb through my hair, parting it off to the side. "A young gentlemen should always have clean, and cleansed hair." She stroked my hair with her hand, as she ran the comb through it. "Yes mother." I mumbled. My mother laughed. "Oh Edward, when you become a young man, you will understand. You cant play in tree houses forever." She chuckled and kissed my cheek. "Aw ma.." I gushed, wiping my lipstick stained cheek._

Another object from the table, was a bracelet, an old brass bracelet, which I bought for her. I picked it up gently, letting the small, delicate, rusted object sit in the palm of my hand.

_"Just put it on, okay?" I kissed her wrist. "Edward.. I hate it when you buy me things, you didn't have to-" I silenced her by placing my pointer finger against her smooth, red plump lips. "Sweetheart, I wanted to, please." I removed my finger from her lips, and snapped on the shiny bracelet around her small wrist, I was worried I bought a size too large, but from the looks of it, it fit her perfectly. It looked beautiful against her creme, pale complexion. "Let me spoil you, please.." I whispered against her lips. "Let me take care of you.." I gave her a chaste kiss. "Wear this, as one of many tokens, of my love.."_

"Are you ready to go back to Titanic?" Carlisle's voice echoed through my closed eyes; through my daydream. I slowly opened my eyes and noticed everyone surrounding me. From Carlisle and James at my sides, from Alice kneeling in front of me; to Mike sitting in a chair off to the side.

I stood up from my chair, ignoring the flying hands to assist me. This large room, so strange. It was a darkened room lined with TV monitors. images of the wreck. Of the once Forks, filled the screens, fed from the sides of the ships, to the mini submarines cruising along in them.

I stood in front of the small television screens, staring raptly. My back was towards the curious group of people. The one particular screen caught my attention. I was enthralled. An image of the bow railing. I felt Mikes heated stare against me. "The bow's struck in the bottom like an axe, from the impact. Here... I can run a simulation we worked up on this monitor over here." James lead me towards Mike's computer. As his fingers danced along the keys he spoke. "We've put together the world's largest database on the Forks. Okay,  
here..."

Carlisle came to my side, and rested his hand on my shoulder. "He might not want to see this, Mike." I shooed Carlisle away, and took a seat beside Mike. "No, I want to know." I hissed.

The computer screen lit up with an animated graphic of Forks on the screen. Mike began talking, explaining. Explaining the tragedy I once saw, once experienced, once lived. "She hits the berg on the starboard side and it sort of bumps along... punching holes like a morse code... _dit dit dit_, down the side. Now she's flooding in the forward compartments... and the water spills over the tops of the bulkheads, going aft. As her bow is going down, her stern is coming up... slow at first... and then faster and faster until it's lifting all that weight, maybe twenty or thirty thousand tons... out of the water and the hull can't deal... so _SKRTTT_!!"

He made some weird nose.

"... it splits! Right down to the keel, which acts like a big hinge. Now the bow swings down and the stern falls back level... but the weight of the bow pulls the stern up vertical, and then the bow section detaches, heading for the bottom. The stern bobs like a cork, floods and goes under about 2:20 a.m. Two hours and forty minutes after the collision."

The animation then follows the bow section as it sinks. I showed no emotion, and he continued. I couldn't believe this was happening- that this _happened._ I was numb again.

"The bow pulls out of its dive and planes away, almost a half a mile, before it hits the bottom going maybe 12 miles an hour. KABOOM!" He smacked his hands together, the ship then snapped in the animation. "The stern implodes as it sinks, from the pressure, and rips apart from the force of the current as it falls, landing like a big pile of junk." The computer screen showed the ship sit a the bottom of the ocean floor. "Cool huh?" He turned to look at me.

"The experience was far from, _cool_; Mr. Newton." I hissed. I turned to Carlisle who gave me an apologetic glance. His hand rested on my knee. "Will you share it with us?" He asked. My gaze reached up to his eyes, showing much emotion. He cared.. someone cared. Someone wanted to know..

I stood up, and walked over towards the windows, the small round ones; which gazed into the ruins below.

My eyes scanned the ocean floor, which showed the rustic ruins below. I saw one of the subs tracking slowly over the boats deck. I instantly recognized it all, all still in place. I could almost hear the ghostly waltz music. The faint and echoing sounds of an officers voice; English accented calling. "Woman and children only!"

I could almost see the screaming faces in a running crowd. Pandemonium and terror. People crying, praying, kneeling on the deck. Just impressions... flashes in the dark.

My nightmare instantly, _gone._

I moved back, and sat down in the chair gazing at the other monitors. The submarine moving down a rusted debris-filled corridor. I watched as the endless row of doorways sliding past, like darth mouths. An image of a child; three years old, standing ankle deep in water, in the middle of an endless corridor; came into sight. Lost, and alone. Crying.

I opened my closed eyes, too shaken, too scarred from the memory. I shook my head, darting my gaze to my lap, at my trembling hands. "I'm taking you to rest, sir." James spoke. "No." I hissed. I looked up to see an sympathetic Carlisle. "Tell us, Edward." He spoke softly. I looked screen to screen, images, memories, nightmares appearing.

I knew I had to do this. I came here to do _this_. To tell my story, to tell everyone about h_er_, about us; about what happened. The memories within the last eight-four years, were becoming all too clear, from it's once blurry vision. Hidden far behind my memory, my heart, they lurked, haunting me everyday, every night. I was stubborn, rude on the outside, when on the inside I was dead. I was screaming at the top of my lungs. My heart felt thousands of knives stabbing at it every second. It was an never ending hell. A never subsiding pain.

Everything I ever did, thought, ever said, revolved around _her_. Yes, that included the arrogance, she loved me for it. She was constantly on my mind. Everyday consisted of a flashback, a memory, _something_.

Everyday I was haunted with the same tragedy. Everyday, I kept the story dead. Everything a hidden secret. Tons, on my shoulders. Guilt, anger, bitterness. All be above a ruthless person.

I sighed heavily. "It's been eighty-four years-" I began to tell my story, until Carlisle cut me off. "Just tell us what you can-" I held my hand up to cut him off. "Do you want to hear it or not?" He smiled, and nodded. Everyone took a seat beside, and in front of me, with curious eyes.

I took a deep breath, and began my story, again. "It's been _eighty-four years_... and I can still smell the fresh paint. The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in." As I spoke, Mike set down a mini-recorder near me, pressing play.

"Forks was called the Ship of Dreams. And it was. It really was..." I sighed. I glanced over at the computer screen, which was showing the remains of the railing. I could almost see the railing, as well as my _story_ come to life..


	3. Luck Or Destiny

**A/N:** I'm sorry I was so quick to finish my other stories, but I wanted to make room for this one! I had a weird dream. Edward was Jack, and Bella was Rose, but my dream had so many differences. (You'll see.) I had a 'Stephanie Meyer' so I would love to write it down. I hope you all enjoy the future writing of this story. I know I will. BUT if you _don't_ like it tell me in the reviews, and I wont continue it. It's in the hands of you guys.

* * *

**F O R K S**

_The ship of dreams._

**When you can live forever,**

**what do you live for?**

_Luck Or Destiny?_

_"Come on Jasper!" I tugged on his sleeve. We were running among the busy streets of England. "I'm comin'!" He shouted over the heads of people. He held onto my arm for dear life as we squeezed our way through the crowds. "There it is, there it is!" Jasper shouted pointing frantically towards the building. I looked up, holding my hand over my eyes to shield the sunlight. The big letters on the building stated; IRISH PUB. I chuckled, and rolled my eyes, letting Jasper drag me inside._

_The place was packed. There were beers being passed about, cigar smoke drifting in the air, and happy dancers dancing about the dance floor. "This way." He lead me through the crowd towards the gambling table, or so I thought it was. By the looks of it, it was. Three big men sat around the small circular table. "Room for two more?" Jasper asked, patting my chest. The men exchanged a few glances, and nodded. "Remember we only got twenty American dollars, Jasper. We need this." I said to him, as we scooted our seats up to the table. "You worry too much Edward." He smacked the back of my head. "Relax, we got this."_

_We played the poker game. I haven't gambled much in my life. I had just turned twenty one about a month ago, and I had just introduced myself to, such things.. drinking, smoking, and by the looks of it, now gambling. Jasper Whitlock, on the other hand, was just a mere year younger than myself, but trust me, his age never stopped him. He loved gambling, he loved the adrenaline rush. The feel of having luck. 'The luck of gambling' he'd call it. Sadly, it was one of the things I preferred not to do, for my own pride, but this, this was an emergency. We had no choice. "Keep your game face on." Jasper mumbled beside me, showing me his deck of cards. I think we were doing pretty good, considering Jasper smirked at me, but then again, the guys surrounding us, had good smirks too.. shit. Shit oh shit! What were we getting ourselves into?_

_We only needed money to get home, well, back to America. Jasper and I were like brothers, each of us helped one another, to get from place to place. I never had a home, not since my parents died. I sold the house, keeping only the most valuable items, which were very special to me. I carried them at all times. Such as my fathers watch, and comb. I also carried my mothers rosary, and a small prayer card. But most importantly, I carried their picture. Jasper met them, back when we were in high school, we took Jasper in, and he's been apart of the family ever since. We were like each others shadows._

_"You bet everything we had!" I scolded Jasper's smirk. He lit his cigar, and blew out a large puff of smoke. He leaned in close to me and mumbled. "When you got nothing, you got nothing to loose." I wanted to smack him in the head. Of course he was being stupid! He was always such a free spirit, so care free. If it wasn't for me, he'd be the most irresponsible son-of-a-bitch. I glared at him, and sat back in my seat, I had long quit the poker round, but Jasper insisted he'd play for the both of us. From the looks around the table it was an intense game._

_The men spoke Portuguese around the table, words I didn't understand. But I was able to make out one word. Tickets. Tickets? I glanced down at the table, aside from the chips, and the scarce dollar bills, beside our twenty, were two tickets to Forks. Tickets!? We'd get tickets to go home! Oh we needed this game, we needed it so bad.. I glanced past the man, and spotted Forks herself, along side the docks. Perfect, perfect. I reached into my coat pocket and held my mothers rosary, silently praying. Please, please Jasper, don't screw this up. Please.._

_I watched the game, leaning forward in my seat. I could feel the heat rushing to my face. "Ben?" Jasper asked the man beside him. He mumbled something incoherent, and smacked down the card faced down. Edward, and Sven.. switched cards. Jasper kept a good poker face, for all I knew we could've been loosing.._

_I watched closely as Edward took, and dropped cards left and right, occasionally trading with the men around him. How long was this game going to take? What if we did win? What good would those tickets have been if Forks sailed off? We'd be a couple of bastards with fifty dollars, at the most._

_The game continued. And at some point at the center of the table, my fathers stopwatch laid ticking away the countless minutes of the silent, intense game. If I lost that watch.. I almost shook with anger at the thought. I'd kill Jasper.._

_The men continued to glance and peak at their cards. I wanted to stand up and scream, the anxiety, the anxious beating of my heart. I hated this feeling. Jasper better have known what the hell he was doing._

_After another ten minutes of stares, Jasper finally spoke. "Alright, moment of truth." He glanced around the table. I leaned even closer into the table, about to have a heart attack. All I could think was, my fathers watch, my fathers watch.. screw the money the tickets- OH my fathers watch.. "Somebodies life is about to change." Jasper said. He turned to look at me. "We got nothing to loose." He mumbled to me, and I nodded, too numb to speak. "Eric?" Jasper asked. Eric smacked his cards down and Jasper smiled. "Nothing." He said. "Ben?" He turned and asked. "And Tyler?" He asked the new comer, he shook his head and frowned, at least he didn't bet much, smart man._

_Jasper took a heavy sigh, and I felt the sweat drip down the back of my neck. "Oh.." Jasper sighed sadly, glancing down at the mans cards. "Two pair." He mumbled. "I'm sorry Edward.." WHAT?! What?! "What do you mean sorry? My fathers watch! Our money!" I hissed, I fought the urge not to stand up and throw the table over and beat the living shit out of this stupid man. "You bet all our money-" He cut me off and grabbed my shoulder. "I'm sorry! Your not going to see this place again, for a very long time.." My eyes widened. We lost everything.. anything we ever had.. all in a fucking half hour game of poker. "Cause we're going to America!" He slammed his deck of cards down. "Full house boys!" He slammed his elbow down on the table. "Woo!!"_

_The faced of the men around the table dropped, frustrated. It took me about a minute to realize. To realize that we were okay. That we were going to make it.. I stood up and cheered, staking the money in my hand. "Woo who!" I jumped. "I'm going home boys! America!" I danced around with the money in my grasp. Jasper gathered all the scattered money, on the table, along with the various items. I dropped the money in my palms into Jasper's coat pocket, while my hands darted for what was truly valuable on that table; my fathers watch. I squeezed it gently, and set it safely inside my jackets pocket._

_I almost lost everything.._

_Suddenly the man grabbed Jasper by the collar as we were about to leave, mumbling something angry in Portuguese. He clenched his fist, and Jasper's face winced awaiting the blow to his face. Instead, Ben's fist went straight into Eric's nose, earning a chuckle from everyone in the pub, including Jasper himself. Stupid, young, crazy bastard. I loved him for it. He had just saved both our asses._

_"Come on Edward! We're going home!" He shook me. He hugged me and jumped. "America!" Off to the side we could see Eric being strangled by Ben and Tyler laughing in the background. "We're going home boys!" We laughed. Our cheers were interrupted by the bar tender. "No mate. Forks, goes to America in five minutes." He jerked his thumb back at the clock. Five minutes to twelve.. "Oh shit." I said. Jasper brushed past me, almost nearly running out the bars doors. "Come on! Come on Edward." He pulled his bag over his shoulder, and I grabbed mine up, and threw my back over mine, as I scurried out into the streets behind him._

_"We're riding like rich bastards now!" I called out behind Jasper as we ran through the crowd of people waving at the great ship. "Aren't you lucky you've listened to me!" He laughed. "Your the best, son-of-a-bitch ever Jasper!" I yelled running, and dodging people left and right. "Were going home Edward!" I yelled._

_We continued dodging and running as fast as we could, until we reached the walkway. We swiftly ran passed the immigrant inspections, we were __American's. We were the last of the few passengers to aboard Forks. "Wait! Wait we're passengers!" Jasper called out to the man standing in the ships doorway. "Have you two been through the inspection?" He asked examining our tickets. "Of course!" I said standing beside Jasper, clutching the bag over my shoulder. "We're Americans." I spoke through my lungs, trying to catch my breath. "Anyway, we don't have any lice." I waved him off. "We're __American's." I panted. "Both of us." I gestured to Jasper and I. "Right." The man nodded. "Come aboard." He gestured for us to make the short jump onto the ship._

_Jasper and I ran passed all the aboarding passengers, completely ignoring them. As far as we were concerned, they didn't exist, and neither did we to them. So who cared, right? "We're the most lucky son's of bitches in the world, you know that!" I playfully shoved Jasper's shoulder as we made a sharp right turn, nearly bumping into one of the waiters. We ran down the swift hallway, looking for our room. The lucky room we got, by our tickets. Our tickets to freedom. Amazing. I might not appreciate Jasper's adventurous ways anytime soon, but one day I would surely thank him for it._

_"Woah woah woah!" Jasper stopped dead in his tracks, and I almost bumped right on into him. "What?" I hissed. "Hear that?" He gestured with his hand. At that exact moment, the ships large horn echoed throughout the ships walls. "We're leaving! Come on lets go on deck!" He tapped my shoulder and ran off. I tightened the grip of the bag over my shoulder and ran after him, making those sharp turns again. These hallways were pretty small. Thank God I wasn't claustrophobic, and with all these people looking and searching around for their rooms; that would've been a mess._

_When we reached the decks we dropped our bags to our feet and leaned over the railing. "Goodbye England!" I called out waving to the crowd below. "Why are you waving, they don't know you." Jasper playfully pushed my shoulder, and shook his head chuckling. "Isn't that customary, when your on a ship?" I shrugged. "I suppose.. I guess." He laughed, and waved back down below. "I will never forget you!" Jasper called out to the crowd. I laughed and waved. "I'm going home!" I yelled. "Goodbye!" The whole ship waved down below, full of smiles._

_The ship jerked, we were moving. I was able to feel the vibrations of the propellers coming to life. "Goodbye!" Jasper and I called, waving. Hats were being waved, and laughter was in the air. I leaned over the railing spotting little fishermen boats near the docking area; some even sailing beside us, the monster of Forks._

_"Alright." I tapped Jasper's back. "Lets go find our rooms." Jasper nodded and picked up his bag throwing it over his shoulder, and I did the same._

_When we were back inside the small hallways, we began reading and reciting the random numbers on the doors. "G-60.." I said walking by the door. "G-60." Jasper added reciting the opposite side of the halls rooms. "G-60" Our room number. "Oh right here!" I said. I went to the door, and opened it. There were already two other men occupying the bunk bed on the opposite side of the room. "Hey, how you doin'?" I asked entering the room, with Jasper following close behind. "I'm Jack, nice to meet you." I shook their hands. "Jasper." He smiled, at the men, jumping on the top bunk._

_"Who says, you get top bunk!" I playfully punched his head. I settled myself on the bed under, and laid. This was all too good to be true.. As I sighed in content, I heard one of the men mumble. "Where's Ben?"_

"So that's how you two got on Forks?" Mike Newton asked, interrupting my story. "Yes.." I nodded. "Jasper always had a lucky hand at poker." I chuckled quietly to myself. My gaze darted to my lap, as my fingers danced amongst each other. "You two were extremely lucky." Mike smiled. "You guys had the chance of a lifetime." He said, I shrugged. "So it seemed.." Mike's eyebrows furrowed as he understood the meaning of my words. "At the time yes.. it was the best moment of my life." I sighed.

"The watch.." Carlisle asked. "What about it?" I turned to face him. "It meant alot to you at the time." He smiled. "It still does." I glanced over at it, it sat beside me on the table. Carlisle opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. Some things were better left un-said.

"This Jasper sounds like a handsome fellow." Alice added, smiling brightly. "Oh he sure was." I said. "I wish I had a picture of him.. the ladies thought he was really somethin'." Alice's eyes softened. "Was he with someone at the time?" I thought it was a bit funny how such a young girl, was interested in someone.. "No" I answered her question, and my thoughts.

"We have a picture of him, Alice." Mike said. "Hold on, as a matter of fact, I have it right.." He fumbled with the scattered papers on the desk behind him. "Ah-ha! Here we are. Jasper Whitlock." He smiled down at the small faded, black and white picture, as he passed it on over to Alice.

"Oh.." She sighed, she brought her hand to rest on her chest. "He was _so_ handsome." She cooed. She leaned back closer to me, her back resting against my legs. I leaned over to examine the picture. It was one of him in the army. "He was quite the gentlemen too." I added, smiling down at her. "He would've been lucky to have had the opportunity to meet you." I remembered how Jasper always searched for his _'ideal'_ girl.

And I was sitting here, showing _her_ his picture.

She sighed and smiled sadly, her small finger traced the picture, before she placed it back onto the table.

"So what happened next?" Carlisle asked. "Can you tell us? Do you remember?" He urged, I scoffed. "Of course I remember.." James hoovered beside me in his chair, he patted my back. "Are you sure your not too tried, you had a long trip.." I turned to face James, and he truly looked concerned. "No, no." I waved my hand at him. "I'm fine.." I sighed. I took a good look around the room. "I never told the _whole_ story to anyone before.." I rubbed the back of my neck. Alice smiled at me sweetly, and tapped my knee. "It's good to talk about it, Mr. Masen.." She smiled. "Please continue." She gestured with her hand.

I sighed heavily. "Alright.."

_"Come on! Come on!" I called behind me. Jasper and I ran along the ships deck. We wanted to go to the nose of the ship. To see the whole oceans view. "I'm right behind you!" He called out chuckling. "There it is!" We ran passed the children playing checkers, and the woman gossiping, nearly tumbling them over ourselves. That would've been a sight.._

_When I reached the nose I threw myself up against the railing, looking down at the water, while Jasper crashed beside me. We both leaned over the railing gazing down at the Atlantic waters. The breeze up there felt amazing, it was a breeze I never felt before, out of all the places I've been, I've slept. I think Jasper felt the same way, because there were no words to describe it._

_The ship moved at extraordinary speed, you could see the splashed against the nose, and the side of the ship. Forks was really something, I've never been on a ship like this in my life.. and to be honest I don't think I ever will be._

_"This is amazing." Jasper mumbled. He set his feet on the first railing standing above me. He sucked in a deep breath and looked out on the ocean before us. "Your tellin' me." I mumbled, with a breathless chuckle. I hoisted myself up beside him and gazed down once again at the ocean, when I noticed a strange movement in the water._

_"Hey-hey look! Look!" I tapped Jasper's shoulder and pointed down at the water. A single dolphin swam ahead of the ship, riding its wave. Just then it came up for air, and splashed back down beneath the water. "See it? Did you see that?" I said. Then out of no where another dolphin appeared, swimming beside the other one, coming up for air at the same time. "There's another one!" Jasper said. "See 'em?" He asked._

_Now there were three dolphins jumping, and swimming in front of Forks. "Woo! Look at that one!" I pointed to the most hyper, and playful dolphin, which was the one swimming off to the right. It was jumping constantly, as if it liked the attention Jasper and I were giving it._

_Was I really here? How did all this happen? Was all this luck, or destiny? I had a man I considered my brother by my side, my health, and my (what I've heard) good looks, and that's all I needed, all I ever needed. I hoisted myself up another set of bars, gazing down at the water, and the water ahead._

_Forks really was the ship of dreams._

_"Woo!" Jasper pointed ahead of the dolphins jumping frantically. "I practically see the Statue Of Liberty right now." He pointed out to the sea. "I'd be small from here but still.." He chuckled._

_"I'm the king of the world!" I let go of the crane I was holding on to, standing freely on the railing. Jasper cheered beside me, snickering._

"You two were quite adventurous." James playfully nudged my shoulder. I smiled, but it didn't reach my ears, and shrugged. "I suppose we were just happy we weren't sleeping under a bridge that night."

_Jasper and I walked the ships deck, our deck; as in third class. We didn't mind at all that we were third class, we didn't care one bit. We were out of England, going home, to American, and we were on one of the largest, strongest ships made ever. Who the hell would have cared if we were first, or seventh class? It was only a number. _

_Surrounding us were woman and children smiling and playing. A man nearby had his daughter hoisted up on the railing, pointing out to sea. It was scenes like those I loved to draw._

_The two stood there for a good half hour. The beauty of it all, was far too inspirational to pass up. So, Jasper walked off allowing me to pull out my drawling paper, and tools, and start working._

_I watched, and studied carefully how the Irish man held her, his hands over hers holding onto the railing. The way the young girls thick waves flew in the breeze, and how her cheeks remained an shade of light pink._

_By the time I had a decent outline of the two Jasper returned and sat beside me. "The ship is amazing, isn't it?" He asked. I nodded, keeping my eyes on the father and daughter. "Yeah, it's an Irish ship." A man smoking nearby interjected. "It's not an English ship?" Jasper asked. I began shading the little girls hair, and her little red hat, the conversation between Jasper and this mind rolled in the back of my head._

_"No it was build in Ireland I head, fifteen thousand Irishmen built this ship." He said. "It's solid as a rock." He coughed. "Good Irish hands." I took my eyes off my finished drawling and gently wiped the excess shredded crayon off the thin paper. I was careful not to smudge the dark shaded lines. "Well that's typical." The big man said. I turned to look at him, as the fancy weird dogs walked by._

_He was tall, and very, very muscular. The man had dark hair, and pale skin. I guess he was 'handsome'. I wouldn't be the one to judge. However, for the beautiful blonde that stood close behind him.._

_She had long wavy blonde hair, with from what I could see, matching blue eyes. She was just as pale as the man that stood close beside her, and she smiled at me sweetly._

_The two were dressed like middle class people, not too fancy, and not too poor. I guess they ranked with Jasper and I._

_"First class dogs, coming down here to take a shit." He puffed out a fog of smoke. "It lets us know where we rank in the skim of things." I added, smirking. The man chuckled and rolled his eyes, while the woman beside him giggled. "Like we could forget." He added. He put his cigarette in his mouth and extended his hand to me. "I'm Emmett McCarthy." I smiled back, and shook his hand. "Edward Masen." He went to Jasper next and shook his hand. "Jasper Whitlock." The man shook his head, and took a breath of his smoke._

_The woman beside him nudged him, and smiled up at him. "OH!" He smiled down at her apologetically. "This is my wife, Rosalie." She smiled at me and extended her hand. "Hello, nice to meet you Mr. Masen." She shook my hand. "Edward." She smiled. "Edward." Rosalie turned to face Jasper and offered him her hand. "And you too, Mr. Whitlock." Jasper shook her hand. "Mr. Whitlock was my father, call me Jasper please." He chuckled, earning a giggle from the young woman. "Jasper. Nice to meet you both." She sat herself on the bench in between Jasper and myself, fanning out her red dress._

_"Do you make money with your drawling's?" He gestured to my notepad. "No." I shook my head. "Well.. sometimes." I chuckled. Rosalie looked over my shoulder down at my drawling's, giving me a good whiff of her scent. "You smell nice." I smiled. "Thank you, it's my mothers." She referred to her perfume, I nodded and smiled. "These are lovely by the way." She gently stroke her finger down at the man and daughter I drew earlier. "I watched how you studied the two." She nodded over towards the two, who still stood by the railing. "It's amazing how you can draw that, and bring it to life." She kept her eyes on the drawling._

_"Thank-" Something from the corner of my eye caught my attention, making everything else around me freeze, and grow silent. My eyes widened as they laid fixed on a young woman walking above on the balcony._

_She was beautiful._

_Her long mahogany hair hung in loose waves down her back. She wore a blue shaded dress, almost sapphire- my favorite color. She walked slowly, sometimes glancing down at her feet, perhaps she was clumsy, or paranoid of the heels she wore._

_I watched as she walked gracefully, standing on the balcony. She let her palms dangle over the railing as she stared out to see. She looked.. sad._

_I felt Rosalie move beside me, and her gaze traveled along mine, and she sighed happily. "Oh forget her Edward." I heard Emmett mumble, off in a far voice, I was in my own little world, with her._

_"Forget it, Masen." He chuckled. "I think it's sweet." I heard Rosalie say beside me._

_I continued to ignore them, and watched the angel before me. The way the sunset reflected off her, only made her twice as beautiful. She must have felt my burning gaze because she turned to look at me. She blushed a beautiful shade of red before she turned and looked back out on the ocean._

_Normally a man should have felt ashamed, or embarrassed; making their first instinct to turn and look away- but no, I kept staring._

_She then turned slowly to look at me again. At that moment I saw Jasper's hand wave in front of my face, blurring the vision of the angel before me. I heard Emmett and Jasper chuckle in unison, and Rosalie hiss beside me. At least I had her on my side._

_When Jasper dropped his hand, a man came into view, above the balcony by my angel. My._

_He was tall, dark, and had long dark hair, tied back in a ponytail. He came and stood beside the woman, who instantly turned, and frowned even deeper at the sight of him._

_Who was this man? Why was he making my angel more upset then she already was?_

_He grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn and face him completely. He mumbled something to her making her face even more upset. She sighed then, and turned, walking off, leaving the man to stand in the balcony alone. He gathered a few breaths, from what I saw, before he turned and followed her._

_"What was that all about?" Jasper playfully smacked the back of my head. "What!" I hissed. "Her! You were staring at her for years. I think you scared her off." Jasper joked. I growled and rubbed the back of my head, and Rosalie smiled at me. "I thought it was sweet." I smiled back at her, at least she defended me. "She's out of your league." Emmett said. "She'll break your heart, and wear it around her neck." He threw his cigarette down on the docks floor, and stood on it. I shrugged. "Yeah.." I sighed, staring at the spot the angel once stood. "I guess your right.."_

I paused. I needed to catch my breath. It felt as if someone was stomping, or maybe even jumping up and down on my chest, suffocating me. The sound of her giggles, and contagious laughter rang through my ears. I fought my sweaty hands to stay folded in my lap because they wanted to cover my ears, while I winced in pain.

"Your wife.." Alice whispered, with a small smile on her face. "She sounds lovely." She stroked my knee, it was helping me calm down some. "Your description of her, matches the drawling." Mike Newton smiled. "Of course it does." I said. "It's my drawling, and it's my wife. I told you." I scolded, earning a laugh from Mike.

"You talk so sweetly about her." Carlisle said. "Are you married, Mr. Cullen?" I asked, and he nodded. "Her name is Esme." He smiled as he spoke her name. "Where's she?" I asked. "Right here." A soft voice spoke.

A young woman appeared in the doorway. Of course she was young, when you were my age, everyone was young. She walked in gracefully, and took a seat down beside Carlisle's legs. She had long, wavy brown hair, with creamy skin. She smiled at me, and extended her hand. "I'm Esme Cullen, it's an honor to meet you Mr. Masen." I smiled and shook her hand. "Edward ma'am." She chuckled. "Edward."

"And who was this married couple you spoke of?" Mike asked. "Rose and Emmett?" I asked. "Yes, Rose and Emmett, can you tell us about them?" He asked. "Well Rosalie was young, she was only eighteen when I met her, and Emmett was twenty-three." I smiled at the memory. "They were newlyweds, sailing back home to Maryland." Mike scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "They honeymooned in Europe." I answered his unspoken question, he nodded understanding.

The curious glances around me showed that they wanted to get to know the couple I spoke so fondly of. "They were American's, like Jasper and I- hard-working, respectable people." I smiled at the memory. "They were one of the kindest people I've met on the ship of Forks." I sighed. "Especially Rosalie, I loved her so.." I smiled. "I considered her my younger sister."

Alice smiled up at me sweetly. "What happened to them?"


	4. Foolish

**A/N:** I'm sorry I was so quick to finish my other stories, but I wanted to make room for this one! I had a weird dream. Edward was Jack, and Bella was Rose, but my dream had so many differences. (You'll see.) I had a 'Stephanie Meyer' so I would love to write it down. I hope you all enjoy the future writing of this story. I know I will. BUT if you _don't_ like it tell me in the reviews, and I wont continue it. It's in the hands of you guys.

* * *

**F O R K S**

_The ship of dreams._

**When you can live forever,**

**what do you live for?**

_Foolish_**.  
**

_A long roar of the ship rang, sending vibrations through my body "You must come have dinner with us!" Rosalie tugged my arm. "W-what?" I chuckled. "Oh please, you must! Say you will!" She smiled at Jasper and I. Jasper glanced over at me and shrugged. "I have nothing to wear.." I sighed and looked down at my clothes, definitely not fancy dinner attire. Rosalie giggled, and waved her hand at me. "Emmett has spares, come now!" She grabbed Jasper's and my hand and dragged us over to where Emmett was standing._

_"Is she always this, happy?" Jasper chuckled. "Always, she's an angel." Emmett cooed. "Oh hush." Rosalie smiled. She lead us down the dock of the ship, and dragged us into the sleeping quarters. "What's our room number again Rosie?" Emmett asked trailing ahead of us. "A-675" She replied. "Ah here it is." Emmett opened the door, and trailed inside, while Rosalie practically dragged Jasper and I after her._

_"Alright well I'm going to go get ready. I'll meet you boys back in here, in a few minutes. Hows that?" She asked, walking towards another door in the room; her bathroom I supposed. "Sounds good to me." I shrugged. "Thanks again Rose." Jasper smiled. "Yes, thank you, so much." Rosalie smiled. "It's not a problem. Dress our new friends nicely darling." She closed the door behind her, and Jasper and I turned to face Emmett._

_"Consider me your stylist for the evening boys." He joked rolling his eyes. "Thanks again, for letting us borrow your clothes, Emmett." I smiled. Emmett took two hangers with tuxedo's out of the closet and threw them onto the bed. "Those are yours." He said to Jasper and I. "I call this one." Jasper snatched up the suit on the right, leaving me with the darker one. "That's fine." I shrugged. It was only dinner._

_"Wow, I'm a genius." Emmett stood, crossing his arms examining us. "You boys look good." He smiled. "I'm just to good." He sniffed. Jasper and I chuckled. "Thanks." We mumbled. Just then Rosalie entered the room wearing an elegant dark red gown, that reached the floor. Her hair was hung up in a loose bun, her lips stained red. "You boys cleaned up nicely." She smiled. "Thank you Miss Rose." I said. "Call me Rosalie please." She walked over towards me. "Let me help you with that. Emmett never gets it right." I sighed and dropped my arms. Ties were stupid. As Rosalie fumbled with my tie, my stomach growled. "Someones hungry." She laughed, smoothing out my borrowed tie. "Alright then." She patted my chest with both her hands. "Lets get you boys full."_

_Emmett linked his arm with Rosalie's, escorting her to dinner. "And where do people of the middle-class dine?" Jasper asked as we walked through the hallways. "Along with the wealthy, of course." Rosalie added matter-of-factly. "Is that so?" I asked. I picked up a few paces, so I could walk beside her. "Of course." Rosalie nodded, she smiled at me and moved her head in towards my chest. She look up at me and wiggled her pointer finger signaling for me to duck down to her level. "Maybe you'll see that angel of yours." She whispered smiling. I sighed, and shook my head. "I doubt it."_

_"Good evening." The man by the doors said. "Good evening." Rosalie smiled, as the man opened the doors to the dining hall for all of us. "Jesus Christ." I heard Jasper hiss. "What the hell is all this?" He chuckled. "This, Jasper," Rosalie hissed, Jasper instantly frowned. "is where arrogance dines." She winked at Jasper, making him chuckle._

_The place was huge, and very nice, I was impressed. The lighting was dim, it was to be an candle light dinner, I didn't mind. The large room was flooded with round dining tables, surrounded by people laughing and smiling, even giving toasts. Music played in the far corner, their was even a dance floor- with people actually dancing. We all trailed after Emmett who lead the way._

_"Ah, right here." Emmett stopped at a nearby round table, and scooted a chair out for Rosalie to sit in. "This place is so nice." Jasper said in awe, taking a seat beside me. "Yes, isn't it?" Rosalie smiled. I decided to sit next to her, since we were getting along so well. "The steaks great too." Emmett added from the other side of her. "I bet." I mumbled, Emmett chuckled._

_"So, what are you boys going to order?" Rosalie asked. I picked up the menu that laid in front of me, and opened it, letting the wide thing sit on the table. "Hmm.." I leaned over and gazed down. "I don't know.." I turned to Jasper. "What are you getting." Jasper looked at me, and then the menu as if he were lost. He simply shrugged. I chuckled and turned back to face Rosalie. "We don't know yet." I smiled. She waved her hand at me. "Don't worry. I'm always safe with salads." I had to laugh at that one._

_When it came down to order, Jasper, Emmett and I all settled on the famous Forks steak, while Rosalie settled for a salad. "Hows the food?" Emmett asked cutting into his steak. "Good." Jasper mumbled with his mouth full. "Thank you again for inviting us Miss. Rosalie." Jasper said. Rosalie hissed. "Please Jasper, call me Rosalie." She smiled, taking a sip of her water. Jasper smiled and nodded._

_As soon as we finished eating, the orchestra began to play. "Would you like to dance?" Emmett turned to Rosalie, she looked at Jasper and I. "Go!" I chuckled. "Go dance we'll be here." I smiled. "Okay, don't go anywhere you two!" Rosalie giggled as Emmett dragged her out onto the dance floor. In no time, the two seemed to be gliding along, with Rosalie's red dress trailing in the air. It looked like they were flying._

_I noticed the way Emmett would casually lean in and whisper in her ear, causing her to blush, or giggle._

_I was jealous._

_Why could I have something like that? Why could I have that?_

_Why didn't I have that?_

_I heard Jasper sigh beside me. "We're on the same boat." I rolled my eyes at that one and turned to face him. "No shit, Sherlock." Jasper chuckled. "I'm just saying." He raised his hands in defense. "That one girl.." Jasper said. I whipped my head around to face him. "What girl?" Jasper nudged my elbow. "You know.." He wiggled his eyebrows. "The one you practically stared at earlier this evening- she was really something Edward." I sighed at the truth of his words. "I suppose so." I let my eyes drag back towards Rosalie- who was now twirling elegantly. "Why wont you try and find her?" He asked. "Because," I sighed. "girls like her don't exist for someone like me." Jasper growled. "Your loss." He shrugged._

_I didn't want to argue about it. Jasper was making a big deal out of nothing. It was just a girl! Just because I thought.. think she was.. is.. the most beautiful angelic creature I've ever seen.. doesn't mean I'd ever have a chance with her. Besides, from the looks of it the angel had someone special in her life already, wither he made her happy or sad. Everyone was breathing down my neck on this one. I mean, what did they expect me to do? Chase her to the end of the world? She was around here, on this ship somewhere, yes- doesn't mean I have to go on a hunt._

_Half these people needed a reality check. She was a princess, and I was the boy who was polishing her glass slipper. That was the reality of it all._

_I watched as the happy couples danced, smiling, and laughing. I felt someone tug my arms sleeve."Excuse me.." A small high pitched voice said. I turned around, and looked down at a small little girl- the very same girl I drew earlier._

_She was beautiful. Her hair hung in loose curls, with a pink bowe clipped off to the side. Her eyes were big and blue, with thick, long eye lashes. "Yes?" I scooted back out of my chair. "Will you dance with me?" She giggled. I turned back at Jasper who chuckled. "Of course Miss, I'd be my honor." I winked, she giggled. I looked down at Jasper and chuckled._

_I was surprised when I stood up, she instantly grabbed a hold of my hand- so much for being shy! "Come on!" She giggled dragging me towards the dance floor. Rosalie turned and pointed at me giggling. "AW!" I heard her laugh. Emmett turned and grinned widely. When she stood in front of me, inches shorter, I smiled down at her. "Miss.." I bowed, and she squealed with laughter and curtsied. I then realized I could really, reach her.. she was far too short, she probably would've made it if she wore heals. "I cant reach!" She pouted. "No worries." I knelt down, and scooped her up in my arms. She squealed with laughter._

_The music began, and I began to sway with the little girl in my arms. "My names Leah!" She slurred- she lost her front baby teeth. "What's yours?" She giggled, when I offered her my hand and she took it, her small fingers curled into my palm. "My names Edward." I smiled. "Your a good dancer!" She giggled, as I twirled with her. "That's because I have a good partner." I cooed. She squealed and kissed my nose. "Your so nice, Edward- I like you." She said. "I like you too." I smiled. She was adorable._

_"So Edward, where is your love?" She giggled, I raised my eyebrows. Wasn't she a little young to know about love? What happened to Santa? "My love?" I chuckled, she nodded furiously and I was afraid she would break her neck. I decided to play along now. I sighed heavily swaying gently to the slow paced song. "I don't have one.." I whispered, pouting. Little Leah's face instantly became sympathetic towards me, and she smiled sweetly. Her small fingers stroked my cheek. "You can be my love, Edward." She smiled sweetly. "If you need somebody to love you- I will." I smiled at her, and continued swaying. "Thank you Lee-Lee'." I already had a nickname for her. She kissed my cheek. "Your welcome, Edward." She smiled. "So Lee-Lee any siblings?" I asked, she shook her head. "No, but daddy wants me to have a little brother and sister!" She smiled. "Maybe the stork will visit soon- that's what mama said." She said.  
_

_"So where are your parents?" I asked, the song ended, and another slow tune followed. "Oh look at that!" I heard a woman giggle. "How adorable!" Another woman sang. Lee-Lee giggled and hid her face in my shoulder in embarrassment. "My mommy and daddy are on a date!" I chuckled, and continued swaying. "Are they really? They don't mind you dancing with me?" I teased. She shot her head up from my shoulder and shook her head. "Course not! They want me to marry a gentlemen." I smiled. "'Sides, mama says to date hamsome people!"_**(Thats how my niece pronounces 'handsome' hehe!)**_ She smiled at me, and kissed my cheek again. "Why.." I chuckled. "Your making me blush Miss. Lee-Lee." I tapped her nose._

_"Leah, sweetheart!" Lee-Lee shot her head up, and looked over my shoulder. "Come and eat some desert!" I turned and smiled at the woman._

_She was young, possibly Emmett's age. She had dark brown hair, that hung in curls, beside her was who I assumed to be her husband- Leah's father; the man I drew her with earlier. He reminded me of my father; dressed sharp, handsome, and by the looks of it, steady on his feet._

_"Aww.." She whined, throwing all her weight on me. "Come on Leah." Her father called. "Tell the man,' thank you'." He cooed. She turned to me and sulked, and I winked at her, earning a giggle. "I gotta go.." She sighed. "That's fine." I smiled and set her down on her feet, I knelt down to her level and took her hands in mine. "Thank you for the wonderful dance Miss. Leah." I took her small palm, and raised it to my lips, earning a squeal from her. "Oh- and I have a present for you-" Her eyes widened. "What?! What is it?" Just then her mother called again. "I'm coming!!" She called out, she turned back to face me. "I'll show it to you later." I smiled. "Go back to your parents, I want some desert too." I smiled. "Okay.." She sighed. Little Lee-Lee kissed my cheek and ran off to her fathers waiting arms._

_When I reached the table, I saw that Rosalie and Emmett had finished their dancing and were already ordering all of us desert. "Thanks for ordering for me.." I smiled at her, taking my seat beside her. "No problem- we saw that you were a little.. busy." She winked. I sighed, and rolled my eyes- ready for the teasing. "That was very adorable, your good with children." She smiled. "She was cute." I smiled. "Very easy to talk to." I shrugged, and placed my napkin down on my lap, beginning to eat the cheesecake Rosalie ordered for all of us._

_"So.." Rosalie smiled. "How about your first day on board?" She playfully nudged me. "It was really something. Can you believe we gambled our way on here?" I smiled. Rosalie's eyes widened, and Emmett ducked his head in grinning. "Are you serious, kid?" He chuckled. "Hell yes." Jasper said. "If it wasn't for my gambling skills then.." He trailed off; Rosalie's face creased with concern. "We wouldn't be here." I added, trying to calm her nerves. She smiled and nodded, while Emmett laughed. "That's good. I like you guys already." He reached behind Rosalie and patted my shoulder._

I sighed heavily, feeling the weight drop on my chest. Of course all eyes were on me..

I didn't want to answer that question really. I'm sure Esme saw the hesitation on my face, because she jumped in. "This, _Leah_ sounds lovely." She smiled and tapped my knee. "Yes, she was." I smiled, closing my eyes. "She was lovely." I added.

_"So, where is your room?" Emmett asked, walking down the ships hallways. "G-60" Jasper replied."What?" Rosalie turned to look at me. "Oh no, no." She shook her head, and stopped in front of our room, and turned to face Jasper and I. "We have a suite, with an extra set of bedrooms.." Emmett said. "Why don't you guys move in with us?" He smiled._

_Jasper and I looked at each other dumbfounded. Did he just say move in? As in their suite? What? "I don't-" Jasper was the first to speak only to be cut off by Rosalie. "Nonsense! Unless you like living in that small closet, for the next week or two." Rosalie smiled, she knew she won. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Positive." Emmett answered in such a voice that it wasn't meant for an argument. "Wow.." I sighed. "Thank you, thank you so much." I smiled at Rosalie. "You've done so much for us already." Jasper said. "Are you sure?" He asked. The two shook their heads furiously. "Get your things together, we'll be waiting out here." Emmett said._

_"Can you believe this?" Jasper laughed heartily throwing our suitcases onto the lower bunk; our roommates weren't in. "No way!" I laughed throwing clothes into my luggage. "They're too nice.." I sighed. "Help me close this shit!" Jasper laughed, sitting on top of his luggage. As soon as we were both zipped up, we met our new friends, who waited just outside the rooms door. "That didn't take long at all." Emmett said. "We didn't have alot of things." Jasper shrugged. "Come along now, lets get you settled." Rosalie waved for us to follow her._

_"So where's your room?" I asked. Jasper and I walked behind the couple, swaying laced hands ahead of us. "It's just down the hall." Rosalie turned, and replied over her shoulder. "I have no idea how we were able to afford it, let alone get it- but we did." Emmett laughed and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Well I'm sure it was just luck, you know?" Jasper said. Rosalie giggled, while Emmett's booming laugh echoed the small hallway. "Well I suppose your right on that one!" Emmett laughed._

_"Ah here we are." Rosalie stepped aside the door, allowing Emmett to fumble with the keys._

_I almost gasped when the door opened, and the couple trailed inside ahead of us. "Wow.." Jasper sighed. "What the-?" I stopped in the middle of the suite dropping my luggage down beside me, giving a thump sound. "This is amazing." I twirled around to get a better look at the room. It was so big, so spacious- big beautiful windows allowing the fresh air, and the moonlight into the spacious room. "Would you like to see your rooms?" Rosalie asked. Jasper and I looked at each other completely speechless, we nodded our heads. "Right this way." Rosalie smiled._

_We followed behind her into the miniature hallway. "Here it is." She stopped outside, and opened the door, but didn't go in. Jasper went in ahead first, and chuckled. "Wow, thank you so much Rose, this beats whatever the hell we had." He plopped down onto the twin bed, which was a few spaces beside another twin sized bed. Looks like Jasper already claimed his. "We don't know how to thank you Rose, this really is nice.." I sighed. "Of course. It's good to know the rooms being put to good use." She shrugged. Emmett trailed in carrying our luggage and set them down beside the wall. "We'll let you guys get settled in.." He wrapped his arm around Rose, and smiled at us. "Let us know if you need anything." Rosalie spoke over her shoulder, closing the door behind her._

_I plopped myself down on my bed, my back jumping back against the mattress. I rested my head on the back of my hands, and sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "I cant believe it." I shook my head and chuckled. "What? This?" Jasper asked. "Ship of dreams." I muttered. "Yeah, watch me wake up." Jasper chuckled. "Now your up a few steps on the social latter; maybe you can finally talk to that girlfriend of yours." He teased. "Hell with you Jasper, she's not my girlfriend." I hissed. "Not yet." He laughed. I sat up faster than I should have, giving me a head rush, but I managed to grab a fistful of my pillow, and throw it smack against Jasper's face. "Ass." I muttered. "Hey now- mind your matters, your princess wouldn't like that." He sassed._

_I turned my back to him, I could've used some sleep, I suppose. We did have a big day. Jasper and I litterally went from rags to riches. Maybe this all was a dream.._

_My dreams- well day dreams, but I'm sure as soon as I'd shut my eyes they would be of her, of course. They were full of her smiles, her beauty, that glorious red dress she wore. How she stood on the balcony, gazing into the ocean, with the salt water breeze brushing against her flushed cheek. Her mahogany hair brushed passed her shoulders, floating in the breeze. God, this angel I once saw was so damn beautiful._

_And I didn't even know her name.._

_Who was she? That angel.. I wanted her all to myself._

_"I'm gonna.." I sighed heavily. "sleep for a bit.." I rolled over, giving my back to Jasper. "I think I'm gonna go and see if Emmett wants to gamble tonight." I heard the bed behind me shift with a squeak as Jasper got up, and maneuvered around the room. "Do you want to come?" He asked. "No.." He chuckled before he shut the bedroom door, he turned out the light, leaving me in the peaceful, calm darkness of the room. I felt my eyelids grow heavier, and heavier- with the beautiful angels face slowly re-appearing. Her smile, and the way her eyes glistened in the sunset when she over-looked the ocean._

_But the part I loved about the dream I was having so far; was the way her eyes looked when she looked at me._

_I didn't know how long I must have been sleeping- but I awoke to a door closing. I slowly rose out of bed, and glanced over towards my right. Jasper was still out, gambling with Emmett. The clock stated 11:00pm. _

_Knowing that there was no way of me falling back asleep, I got out of bed, and walked out the door. The light of the highway was too bright, especially compared to sleeping in a dark room. I squinted, as i walked down the short hallway._

_When I entered the living room, Rosalie was getting up. From the looks of it, she was sitting in front of the fireplace in blanket. She turned around, and jumped. "Oh!" She put her hand on her chest. "You scared me." She sighed. "I'm sorry." My voice was hoarse. I cleared my throat. "You didn't go out?" I asked, Rosalie shook her head. "Actually.." She walked towards the suites front door. "I was just planning on going for a walk on deck, would you like to accompany me?" She smiled, how could I refuse? "Of course."_

_I waited outside the suite for Rosalie, she ran back inside to get a scarf, I didn't want her to get sick. "Okay, I'm decent." She said. "Well alright then." I smiled._

_When we reached the foot of the deck, she looped her hand through my arm, and walked beside me. It was beautiful out, and freezing. The sky was a bright blue, from the reflection of the below freezing, salty water. The fresh sea breeze was very cold, but refreshing at the same time. That goes without mentioning the beautiful cloudless night. The sky was covered with stars._

_"It's beautiful tonight." Rosalie said, her heels clacked against the wooden pavement, as we walked. "Out of all the places I've been, I've never seen so many stars." I glanced up one more at the sky, Rosalie sighed blissfully. "Hmm, yes." She breathed in. "How long have you known Emmett?" I asked randomly. "Well.." She looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry.." I said. "That was rude of me to ask, forgive me." She shook her head furiously before I finished my sentence. "No- I want to tell you, I haven't told anyone." She looked up at me, then towards the upcoming bench, which overlooked the water. "Sit with me?" I nodded, and took a seat beside her._

_Her cheeks were flushed, as well as her nose, she must have been freezing. But this was important by the looks of it, I couldn't shove her inside now, even if I wanted to. "When I was a freshmen in high school." She sighed. "Something happened." She turned to look at me, and I urged her to go on. I could see by the look on her face how she was struggling for words, for the right words. By the time the look of defeat came on her face, she spat out; "Edward, I was raped."_

_Raped? What?!_

_"NO NO!" She nearly shrieked. "Not Emmett!" She giggled. However, I didn't think it was funny. _

_She must've understood my facial expressions because she sighed. "It was late.. and I was walking home from a friends house.." She looked down at her lap and played around with the little cotton balls on her red scarf. "Royce- my x-boyfriend showed up with his friends out of nowhere.." She shrugged. "I could smell the liquor off all of them." I sighed, and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. _

_I hated it when woman cried._

_"They were talking all over the place.. just teasing me and then it just happened.." She whispered. "Rose.." I trailed off. "No, no, its okay. I'm fine." Rose said.  
_

_I'm fine._

_ I knew what she meant by it. She wasn't hurt- physically, and she hadn't gotten sick. Thank God._

_I pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry.. for whats happened to you.." She laughed lightly. "Wait- I didn't answer your question yet." She snuggled into my side, and shivered. "He found me.. lying on the street after it happened." She smiled gently. "From the moment I looked up at him, with the horror on his face; I knew I loved him." She said. "I've been with him ever since, and we have just recently been married, as you know." She giggled, lightening the mood. "Yes.. that I do." I bumped shoulders with her. "I'm happy, happier than I've ever been. If it didn't happen.. then I never would've met him.." She sighed. "I probably would've ended up marrying that disgusting, poor excuse of a man." She shook her head, and broke into small fits of laughter.  
_

_"So.." She hummed. "Anyone special waiting for you back home? Or is your heart set on that beauty?" She teased. "No.." I growled playfully. "But yes, my heart is set on that beauty." I sighed, and rolled my eyes. "Well, good." She nodded. "Shes good for you, have you talked to her?" Wow, this was getting out of hand. I only checked her out! And dreamed of her.. ONCE. "No.." _

_"Well.. your being foolish." She hissed, that made me laugh. "How am I being foolish Miss. Rosalie?" I chuckled, she glared at me- woah she was actually serious. "She's with someone!" I defended. "Or so it seems." She shrugged and looked away from me. "What?" I defended. "What am I supposed to do? Just randomly walk up to her?" I growled. "That's the most ridiculous, stupid, idiotic idea I've ever heard." I growled. "Your loss." She snarled. "She's out of my league." I retorted. "Well.. I guess your going to have to raise your own standards, aren't you?" She hissed at me.  
_

_"Hey guys!" Jasper and Emmett came into view, to my rescue. "Did you win anything?" Rosalie asked sweetly to Emmett, he sighed and shook his head. "No, but I didn't loose anything either." He shrugged. Rosalie stood up, and sent me a glare that reminded me of my mothers scolding. Wonderful. She linked arms with Emmett, who smiled at us. "We'll see you guys tomorrow I suppose, I'm heading off to bed." Emmett said, rubbing Rosalie's arm. "Thank you for keeping her company tonight, Edward." Emmett said. "I'm surprised she hasn't bit you yet." He said chucking._

_He wouldn't be if he knew._

_"Yes, Edward. Thank you." She smiled. "Your welcome Rose. Goodnight." I smiled. "Goodnight." Jasper said._

_Jasper replaced Rosalie's seat, sitting beside me. "How was your walk with Rosalie?" He asked. "It was okay.." He didn't need details. "Ah, must've been good then." He slumped beside me. "How was gambling?" I asked. "Eh, Em' and I played with a couple of cockass' but he didn't want to loose too much, so we played twenty dollars." Jasper said. "That's good I guess." I shivered, when the fresh breeze hit._

_"We saw her." Jasper grinned. "Saw, who?" I asked. "You know.." He smirked. "she was with that man- with the dark hair." Jasper nudged my shoulder. "She wore a black dress.." He sighed dramatically. "You missed out!" He laughed. "What?!" I hissed. "We saw her tonight, at one of the gambling tables, standing behind that dark haired man." Jasper said again. _

_Why didn't I go gambling?! _

_Why?_

_Why couldn't I just see her one more time?_

_Just because I couldn't have her, doesn't mean I couldn't admire her? Right?_

_I hissed, biting my lip, while I ran my fingers through my hair, occasionally tugging, and pulling at some ends. I was such a dumb ass!_

_Don't get me wrong, I didn't regret spending my time with Rosalie- no not at all.. but this was frustrating. My friends wanted me to approach her, to talk to her- like it was that easy. How was I supposed to do that, if I never saw her around? I mean I only saw her once! _

_And who was this dark haired man? Her husband, fiancee, lover? Honestly, it wasn't looking good for me, it never did. But then again.. she did look a bit sad on the balcony, especially when he came to cart her away.._

_Maybe I had a chance?  
_

_"So.." Jasper whistled, obviously he was amused with my frustation. "Have you talked to her yet?"  
_


	5. Finally

**A/N:** I'm sorry I was so quick to finish my other stories, but I wanted to make room for this one! I had a weird dream. Edward was Jack, and Bella was Rose, but my dream had so many differences. (You'll see.) I had a 'Stephanie Meyer' so I would love to write it down. I hope you all enjoy the future writing of this story. I know I will. BUT if you _don't_ like it tell me in the reviews, and I wont continue it. It's in the hands of you guys.

* * *

**F O R K S**

_The ship of dreams._

**When you can live forever,**

**what do you live for?**

_Finally._

"It seems as if many of your friends wanted you to speak to this girl, of yours." Carlisle beamed. Micheal snickered in the background, smiling at me, and I wanted to throw something at him- anything. My hand was slowly going for her brush, but I stopped myself.

He wasn't worth it.

"I'm sorry- I wasn't here to catch her name." Esme said. "What was it?" She asked looking up at me. "Her name was Bella Swan." I said, how could I forget such a name? Especially when it had a face to put it to shame? Esme smiled in response and nodded. "She was something.." I said.

"Please continue the story Mr. Masen.. I want to hear it." Alice's voice was so strange to me- in a good way. It was almost as if she sang. Their was a genuine good thing about it, I couldn't put my finger on it.

I sighed heavily, my heart felt heavy.

_"Wake up lazy!" A pillow hit against my face. I groaned and threw the pillow towards the direction I heard Jasper's annoying voice. "Leave me alone." I mumbled. I flopped against the bouncy mattress giving Jasper a good view of my bare back. I wasn't a morning person, unlike some people. Jasper Whitlock. _

_I had a long night._

_"Come on, Rose and Emmett wanna go out for breakfast, get your arse out of bed!" Great, he was already picking up his vocabulary from Emmett. I groaned, and slowly sat up. I then realized I had my usual case of head rush. "Why so early?" I opened my eyes only to squint from the bright light shining through the elegant windows- that's right, we were high rollers now._

_We actually had windows._

_"Actually its nine o'clock, none of us could help the fact that you cant handle a night out. Seriously Edward, you wen't to bed at what, midnight? Your such a baby." Jasper threw on a shirt, with pants while he teased me. "Yeah, yeah." I murmured, I wasn't in the mood for arguing, I was too tired to do so. _

_I slowly climbed out of bed, nearly tripping over my shoe's in the process- I was too tired to put my clothes away neatly, oh well. "I'll be in the living room with Rose and Emmett, we'll wait for you. I groaned in response, digging through my wardrobe. _

_After a few short minutes of digging, I came up with a simple white shirt, with dark pants, it shows I gave up for the day, which as far as I was concerned wouldn't have started yet. I would've slept well into the afternoon._

_I would've dreamt about her._

_I walked out of the room, and waved off the friends who greeted me; earning chuckles as I entered the bathroom. After I brushed my teeth, I almost punched the mirror during the frustrations with my hair. I quit. I wore it spikey._

_"Someone looks happy." Rosalie mumbled as I appeared by her side. "He's not a morning person." Emmett laughed, it was too loud, I wanted to go back to bed and crawl under the bed sheets, and sleep for hours with her face, and imaginative angelic laughter. "Let's go eat, he'll wake up soon." Jasper patted my back and headed out the door._

_When we arrived to the huge dining room, it was peaceful, surprisingly. Their were many people, but all the conversations, all the laughter, seemed to be nothing but murmurs. _

_I liked it._

_I took my usual seat beside Rose and Jasper. "Let me guess.." Rosalie sighed bumping shoulders with me. "Your a waffles person." She giggled. "Actually.. I prefer pancakes- but I like waffles too." I shrugged, she got a smile out of me. I don't really smile in the morning.. Rosalie sighed dramatically. "Well.. I'm no physic."_

"Rosalie was a physic?!" Alice snapped her head up to look at me, with a certain glistening in her eyes. "Physic?" I chuckled darkly. "What? No! Of course not.." Alice's face dropped. "I was just wondering because, well.. _I'm_ a physic." She shrugged. "Really?" I asked, everyone in the room seemed to have nodded.

Normally, as an educated doctor, let alone a reasonable person- wouldn't have believed Alice, let alone such things. But something about Alice, something about her face told me that she wasn't lying; thus all the heads in the room seemed to have nodded in agreement.

"And how does the future look for me?" I hissed teasingly. I was a bit skeptical.

Alice patted my knee, and sighed heavily looking up at me. "Peaceful."

_Since Rosalie guessed wrong, she decided to name me something 'special'. "I suppose your a waffcakes person; that's the only name I could come up with."_

_"The combination of pancakes, and waffles. How interesting." I joked. "Genius Rose." Jasper said, taking a bite of his toast. "That's my Rosie." Emmett chuckled heartily beside Rosalie, earning a swat on his shoulder. "Stop teasing me. I'm only trying to cheer up this cranky man." She hissed, taking a sip of her morning tea. "Besides, I'm sure when she walks in here, he'll be happy as a child in a candy shop." She said matter-of-factly. "Yeah, your right on that one." Jasper raised his glass of orange juice to Rose, who smiled and raised her cup of tea._

_"When is Miss. Bella coming then?" Emmett asked, cutting his bacon into biteable pieces- the things were huge. "Whose Bella?" I asked. Rosalie ignored me and turned to Emmett, glancing over his shoulder to look at the large clock tower. "Well, Bella and her mother usually come around this time; they shouldn't be long now." She said. "Whose Bella?" I asked again. "Her mother is so free-spirited, reminds me of my mother, in certain ways." Emmett said. "Who the hell is Bella?" I asked growing impatient. _

_A waiter walked by, and gave Jasper a newspaper. Jasper opened the paper while eating his breakfast, reading. Was everyone ignoring me? "Her mother does remind me of yours." Rosalie tapped her chin in a deep thought. "Now that I think of it, she does!" Rosalie giggled, and gave Emmett a chaste kiss. "Who the hell is this Bella?!" I hissed._

_Jasper bit into his toast giving a loud crunching sound. My mother used to scold him for his lack of table manners; as if we ever needed them-No offense mom. "If you haven't noticed; smartass.." He chewed, not taking his eyes off the newspaper. "Their talking about your little girlfriend." He took a long sip of his orange juice, and set it back down on the table. _

_Bella. That made sense. What a beautiful name, for a beautiful girl. It suited her perfectly, the way she wore her hair, and clothes. The way she carried herself. The way I dreamed of her, or the way I first saw her standing on the balcony. _

_She was Bella._

_"Oh." Was all I could say. "Rosalie?" I asked, she turned and looked at me. "Was their an last name with that?" I asked. She smiled. "Yes, Swan- Isabella Swan." Swan, lovely. This Bella had a beautiful name. "How do you know her? Are you friends?" Emmett appeared to have answered for me, he shrugged. "We've spoken with her once or twice; with her mother too. Shes a very shy girl- but sweet too." _

_Then it all came to me._

_"Why didn't you tell me you knew her when I first saw her!" I snapped. This was getting frustrating. Here they were telling me to go talk to her, when they knew her all along! They could've introduced us! "Love has no connections." Rosalie said simply. "You have to meet her for yourself- we cant do that for you." I sighed heavily. "You could've at least introduced us or something back then.." I trailed off. Rosalie shrugged and smiled at me before turning her attention back towards Emmett._

_"Don't tell me you were in on this too." I snapped, turning back towards Jasper, who still kept his eyes on the newspaper, occupied with reading. He shrugged not taking his eyes off the paper. "Rosalie threatened me if I didn't keep my mouth shut; we gambled with her fiancee."_

_That hit home._

_"Fiance? What the hell?!" I caused a few heads to turn. I leaned in and whispered. "Your shittin' me, please tell me your joking.." Jasper sighed and set his reading material back down onto the table. "Just because she has a fiancee, doesn't mean shes happy about it.." He trailed off. "You saw her the same night I had, did you not?" He asked, I nodded. "So?" Jasper looked at me and sighed. "So, that means you have a chance, besides.." He brushed off the crumbs in his lap. "I think she likes you."_

_Great, she liked me. Now that brought another round of surprises. "How would you know?" I laughed. He was full of it. "Because, like I said, we gambled with her fiancee.. and she stood behind me." This didn't make sense. "How could she have told you she liked me, with her fiancee right there?" I hadn't known Jasper for a liar. "The art of whispering, you dick!" He playfully smacked the back of my head. "Your so stupid, Edward."_

_"It's not my fault theirs a lack of communication on this damn ship!" I retorted, Jasper shook his head. "Well.. is Edward done his little rant yet or what?" Emmett chuckled. "Relax, you'll meet her eventually." Emmett shrugged. Obviously they weren't going to introduce me to her, that was a given. I guess I had to do this on my own. Well, fine then._

_"So, anyone care for a stroll on neck, with some activities? Then maybe a little ballroom dancing tonight?" Rosalie smiled. "Oh- dancing!" Jasper clapped his hands together mocking Rosalie's sudden excitement. "Oh-" He placed his palm on his cheek. "I'd love to!" He teased. Rosalie sighed and rolled her eyes. I assumed if she would've sat closer to Jasper, she would've swatted him or something. "Don't sass me Mr. Whitlock." She stood up, causing all of us to do the same._

_Manners, something my mother taught Jasper and I. "I'm only teasin' you Miss. McCarthy." Jasper smiled. "I would love to go dancing tonight though.."  
_

"Oh how frustrating!" Esme giggled. "I would've smacked you too." Mike teased. "It wasn't his fault.." Carlisle laughed. "Like he said, their was a lack of communication." I smiled, someone stood up for me.

"I can agree with Rosalie though.. how things were back then." Alice smiled thoughtfully. "I assume back then, if you wanted to do something for yourself; and something right, you had to do it yourself.. without any help." I smiled at Alice, she was an intelligent girl, she must've had a hell of a career ahead of her. "Your right Alice, absolutely right."

"So, how did you finally meet her?" Carlisle asked, Alice was nearly jumping out of her Indian-style seat.

"Well.. we bumped into each other- it's not as casual as you'd think.."

_"Edward!" Rosalie laughed from the dance floor, Emmett had weird moves. She motioned a wave for me to come join her, and Jasper who were officially embarrassing. Emmett shyed away, towards the bar. So that left me at a full round table, starring at my friends, who were making a fool of themselves._

_I acted like I didn't know them._

_I watched as the happy couples danced on the dance floor. The song was pretty upbeat, but that didn't stop some of the older couples who swayed gently to the beat. I envyed them._

_Of course I was looking for my little Lee-Lee, but she was nowhere in sight. I even scanned the lower half of the dance floor, occasionally mistaking other young girls about her age, as Leah. _

_Despite Lee-Lee's and mines age difference, she was so easily to talk to. I mean, I made friends with her in two songs! Two songs!_

_"Edward!" I heard a loud pitch giggle._

_The very same loud pitch giggle I was hoping to hear. I turned around in my seat to see little Lee-Lee sporting a very elegant dreen dress, her hair this time was pinned up into a curly bun. She looked cute. "Hello there." I smiled. She replied by pulling my chair back, or attempting to, she failed to do so. Obeying her request I scooted my chair back, allowing her to climb onto my lap. "Why are you siting here by yourself, Edward?" She turned and looked at me, I shrugged. "You didn't find your love yet?" She asked sadly. I smiled. "I think I did, but I cant f i n d her, you know?" Her eyed widened. "You found her, but ya cant find her?!" She put her hand on her face, closing her eyes while shaking her head. _

_She sighed heavily, and opened her eyes looking at me. "You are so stupid Edward!" She pointed, and shook her small finger at me. "I know.." I huffed. "I've been getting that alot lately." She giggled. "Do you know the ladies name?" She asked. "Yes.. Miss. Leah." I tickled her eyes earning a loud shriek of laughter. "Her name is Isabella- Bella Swan." Leah smiled. "Oh I know her! She's sooo nice Edward!" She then tapped her chin. "But I don't like that Jacob man." She shook her head. "He's too serious, he acts like her daddy, ya know Edward?"_

_"No, I don't.. isn't Jacob her fiancee, or something?" I asked._

_I cant believe I was discussing gossip, and such matters with a young girl. I must've been desperate- or stupid._

_"Yep!" She made an sour face. "I bet she would love you Edward! Even though I loved you firstest.." She sighed. "You'll always be my first love.." I kissed her forehead. "You know what they say.." I trailed off, Leah shook her head. "Well.. what they say is, it's hard to let your first love go.." I sighed dramatically, as Leah's face lit up. "I was your first love!" She laughed. "Your my best friend, Edward. I love you." _

_That wasn't something I expected to hear, nor was her next move. She flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, hugging herself close to me. I chuckled, and patted her back. "Good to know Lee-Lee, your my best friend too." She pulled back and kissed my cheek. She turned her attention towards the dance floor, and instantly spotted my friends, sadly._

_"Are those your friends, Edward?" She pointed to Jasper and Emmett, who were doing some weird jumping, while Rosalie danced gracefully beside the two, laughing. I chuckled. "Yes, sadly." Leah giggled. "That lady is pretty, what's her name?" She pointed to Rosalie. "That's Rosalie, her husband Emmett, and Jasper- he's pretty much like a brother to me." I said as I pointed them all out, each little detail I gave, she gave a nod, or an exaggerated 'oh'. The girl was truly interested._

_"Edward, you saw my mommy and daddy.." She turned, and looked around. "Where are yours?" She looked at me. "I never see you with them." I smiled and spoke softly, I didn't want to scare the poor girl.. "My parents died.." Her face saddened, as she rested her head on my chest. "I'm sorry..- momma says that's what your supposed to say even though your not- but I am Edward." She pulled away to look at my face, she was being serious. I had to bite my lip to keep from chuckling. "I'm sorry." She said again. "It's okay, their in a better place." I smiled._

_"Do you ever miss them?" She whispered, playing with the buttons on my shirt. "Always, Lee-Lee always." She nodded, keeping her eyes on my shirt. Leah was quite for a long minute- that's when I realized a few tears dripping down her cheeks. _

_"Hey.." I coaxed her chin up. "Why the crocodile tears?" Leah sniffled, and shook her head, before she hid her face into my shirt. "I'm just sad for you Edward.. I don't want you to be lonely.." I smiled, she was far too sweet. She reminded me of my mother._

_She cared._

_"There, there Leah." I stroked her back lovingly. "I'm fine, look- I'm smiling." She pulled away to examine my face. "I'm happy, Leah. I have my friends, plus I have you." I wiped the tears away from her flushed cheeks with my thumb. "Now, pretty girls don't cry." I tapped her nose. "Don't cry over silly things- unless your crying because of their dancing, that I can understand." I nodded towards Emmett and Jasper. Leah smiled, but it didn't reach her face._

_I tickeled her sides, making her small smile burst into laughter, heartily laughter. "Theirs my favorite laugh!" I kissed her cheek. She squealed and hugged herself closer to me. _

_We stayed like that for a few songs, her breathing relaxed, she had finally stopped crying. I stroked her back gently, as I watched Rosalie and Emmett glide on the dance floor, and Jasper switching dance partners left and right._

_If Jasper wasn't being such a goof, I'd say he was a good dancer.  
_

_ "I gotta go, my momma is probably worried." Leah finally spoke. She sighed, and pulled away smiling at me. "I'll see you later Edward" I kissed her cheek. "You betcha!" She giggled, showing that her mood had lightened. She hugged me once more before she squrimed down my lap. I tapped her bottom as she skipped away giggling._

"Poor girl." Esme sighed. I kept my eyes locked on my lap. To think telling the story would make it easier, make the guily; the heartache, the pain in my chest disappear.

It only made it worse.

My hand clutched my heart, it felt like it teared.

_"Are you sure, you don't want to go downstairs for some desert or something?" Rosalie asked, I shook my head, and flung my jacket over my shoulder. "No thank you Rosalie." I smiled. "I think I'm going to go for a walk, then head on up to bed." I smiled. "Okay she sighed._

_I shook Emmett's and Jasper's hand, while I gave Rosalie a hug, and she gave me a kiss on the cheek- which caught me off guard. "I'll see you tomorrow." She called after me._

"Did you meet her that night?" James asked. I looked over at him. "I'd tell you.." I chuckled. Jamed sighed and leaned back into his seat. He was a curious one..

_I walked along the ships deck. Of course their just had to be couples holding hands, or a couple of teenagers sucking each others faces in the dark corner._

_And here I was, alone. _

_Sometimes I wondered if it ever bothered Jasper, maybe it did. Or maybe I was being a baby about it. Who knows? I'd never find out._

_It was nice out, even though the breeze was frigid. I threw on my jacket, and dug my hands into my pants pockets. I walked along the deck, hearing squeaks in the wood below my thumping feet._

_I was approaching the end of the ship. The end where their was no one, empty. It was peaceful, and quiet, and beautiful._

_It was the same place, same spot that I saw her. _

_I leaned over the railing, gazing off into the arctic night. The sky was blanketed with stars. Never in my life have I seen so many stars. Not even in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. _

_It was so calm back here, I couldn't imagine why I didn't see anyone else admiring the scenery around me. Was everyone partying or something? Who didn't want to see this? I sighed, as I selfishly took in all of the ocean nights beauty to myself._

_I lit up a cigarette, enjoying the night.  
_

_Just then I heard loud sobs. A woman crying.._

_I snapped my head back, and my eyed went wide at the sight. It was her! Bella Swan, running in a beautiful ball gown towards the railing. _

_I couldn't even grasp what I was witnessing. Was she just fooling around? Did she want to get a better view of the ocean, as dumb as that idea was? Wait- why was she crying?_

_She wouldn't be crying, if her actions were for enjoyment!_

_As I ran the possible theories in my mind, I watched in stunned horror as she began climbing up the railing over looking the freezing ocean bellow her._

_I desperately wanted to call out 'Bella! Don't do it!' and run over there, throw her over my shoulder and save her- but I didn't know her. I only knew her name, by my friends who seemed to have accidentally slipped it out in the first place; since I wasn't meant to find out through gossip._

_I jogged over towards her, while looking around for any witnesses, or anyone else who would help. Where was this fiancee of hers? No where._

_How would I save her? How could I save her?  
_

_I decided to pretend that I didn't know her like I did, almost convincing myself; maybe it would've bettered the current deadly situation. I acted like I didn't know her name, that I wasn't anxious to finally meet her, to speak to her. I decided to pretend that I've never dreamed of her, or spoke of her, or seen her in my life.  
_

_I acted like I didn't love her.  
_

_"Don't do it." I called out to her. Poor distressed rich woman. Her breathing was heavily, she was panting heavily. Her clothes stated her class as well. Rich, wealthy. A pair of red heels, and a stunning black and red dress. Her beautiful full; thick mahogany hair hung in loose curls over her shoulder, some crawling down her back. She was lovely.  
_

_"Stay back! Don't come any closer!" She called over her shoulder, gripping tightly onto the pole, while her other hand held the ledge's bars. _

_I took a cautious step forward, offering her my hand. "Come on, just give me your hand. I'll pull you back over." I spoke gently.  
_

_"No, stay where you are! I mean it! I'll let go!" She turned away from me and faced the water, panting. I wasn't convincing her.  
_

_I approached slowly, gesturing to my cigarette, showing that I was just approaching to merely throw it over the side into the ocean. "No, you won't." I shrugged, digging my hands into my front pockets.  
_

_ I decided to do a little reverse physiology, something my father used to do with me. It always worked, as much as I hated to admit it.  
_

_"What do you mean, "No, I won't"? Don't presume to tell me what I will and will not do, you don't know me!" She hissed._

_"Well, you woulda done it already." I shrugged, rocking on my heels.  
_

_"You're distracting me! Go away!" She hissed over her shoulder._

_"I can't. I'm involved now. You let go, and I'm, I'm 'onna have to jump in there after you." I sighed, hopefully a little reverse phycology would help.. I began untieing my boots, kicking them off to the side, throwing my overcoat off afterwords._

_"Don't be absurd. You'd be killed!" She scolded, over her shoulder.  
_

_"I'm a good swimmer." I shrugged, taking off my cardigan, throwing it off to the side beside my shoes.  
_

_"The fall alone would kill you." She added hesitantly.  
_

_"It would hurt. I'm not saying it wouldn't. Tell you the truth, I'm a lot more concerned about that water being so cold." I added, it was working. The hesitance in her face was becoming more and more visible. She would never jump.. she couldnt, she wouldnt. I wouldn't let her.  
_

_She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Nothing but the white, cold, crisp air. She looked down at the water, and literally shivered._

_"How cold?" She asked. Bingo, it was working. I just needed to get her off the damn rail.  
_

_"Freezing. Maybe a couple degrees over. You ever, uh, you ever been to Wisconsin?" I shrugged. I tried to lighten the conversation.  
_

_"What?" She asked almost horrified. Guess it wasn't working.  
_

_"Well, they have some of the coldest winters around. I grew up there, near Chippewa Falls. I remember when I was a kid, me and my father, we went ice fishing out on Lake Wissota. Ice fishing is, you know, where you..." She cut me off.  
_

_"I know what ice fishing is!" She hissed.  
_

_"Sorry. You just seem like, you know, kind of an indoor girl. Anyway, I, uh, I fell through some thin ice; and I'm telling you, water that cold, like right down there..." I took a few slow, cautious steps towards her and nodded toward the freezing, Atlantic water. " ... it hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your body. You can't breathe. You can't think. At least, not about anything but the pain. Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in there after you." _

_She threw me a frantic glance, her breathing picking up._

_"Like I said, I don't have a choice. I guess I'm kinda hoping you'll come back over the railing, an' get me off the hook here." I smiled at her.  
_

_"You're crazy." She mumbled.  
_

_"That's what everybody says but, with all due respect, Miss, I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship here. Come on. C'mon, give me your hand. You don't want to do this." I offered her my hand, and she slowly reached forward, taking her hand in mine. I tightened my grip on her hand. So soft.._

_"Whew! I'm Edward Masen." I smiled, as I had her facing me, and the deck.  
_

_She smiled at me. "Isabella-Marie-Swan." She panted out all too quickly for me to comprehend. Isabella wha?_

_I wanted to say. 'I know. I've known you' But that's when I realized, had she not recognized me from before? Was I just another poor man oogeling a woman far from his reach? Was I just another man who found her adoringly beautiful?  
_

_"I'm gonna have to get you to write that one down."__ I smiled, teasingly. It was a good thing I decided to play along, I would've came off like a stalker. Who says that?- 'I already know your name, thanks.' _

_No one does.  
_

_She smiled up at me. Showing me the most beautiful smile in the world. "Have we met before?"  
_


	6. Temp AN

Hello Readers,

I've been a bit busy lately I suppose. My life's starting to get _very_ interesting. *cough* BOY *cough. Yes, so I've been busy with other things though too. As much as I love this story, as exhausting as it is; I'm afraid I'm going to put it on hold indefinitely.

That doesn't mean that one day, I wont come back to it and finish it! So check in once in a while.

Sorry if I made enemies now,

-ANNEMARIECULLEN.


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